Apple and Google 'Hold Data Hostage' and Stifle Competition, Senate Told

The Guardian reported:

Apple and Google "hold data hostage" from small apps and force competitors to pay high commissions, stifling their ability to compete, a number of companies said in a US Senate hearing on Wednesday.

The hearing before the Senate antitrust committee offered a rare opportunity for smaller competitors – including Spotify, Tile and Match – to air their grievances against the tech behemoths before lawmakers. Representatives for the companies spoke about their experiences within Google and Apple's app stores, where they claim to be subjected to high fees and copycat behavior.

The hearing came just a day after Apple introduced AirTags, a device that users can attach to items and track using an iPhone's "Find My" software. AirTags has largely been seen as a direct copy of Samsung's SmartTag and Tile Bluetooth trackers, which were founded 10 years ago.