Late last year, Google announced it intended to buy mobile ad giant AdMob for $750 million USD.
After over six months of delays, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has cleared the purchase, thanks in part to Google's arch rival Apple.
Earlier this year, Apple purchased the third largest mobile ad company, Quattro Wireless, and used it as the backbone of its new iAd platform on the iPad and iPhone.
The FTC had been concerned that Google (the world's largest ad platform) merging with AdMob (world's largest mobile ad platform) would violate anti-trust laws. Apple joining the fray eased those concerns.
Says Jeff Shinder, former special counsel to the FTC: "The presence of Apple made it for hard for the commission to construct a merger challenge that it felt it could win."
Apple had tried to purchase AdMob first, but Google swooped in with a higher bid.
Earlier this year, Apple purchased the third largest mobile ad company, Quattro Wireless, and used it as the backbone of its new iAd platform on the iPad and iPhone.
The FTC had been concerned that Google (the world's largest ad platform) merging with AdMob (world's largest mobile ad platform) would violate anti-trust laws. Apple joining the fray eased those concerns.
Says Jeff Shinder, former special counsel to the FTC: "The presence of Apple made it for hard for the commission to construct a merger challenge that it felt it could win."
Apple had tried to purchase AdMob first, but Google swooped in with a higher bid.
