Deals
Google’s Waze Deal Is a Likely Target in FTC Antitrust Sweep
- 2013 purchase solidified Google’s lead in maps, location data
- U.K. cleared the deal, but didn’t consider impact on ads
The Waze Inc.'s map-software is displayed on an Apple Inc. iPhone on an automobile windscreen in London
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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The U.S. Federal Trade Commission just ordered major technology companies to fork over details on waves of small acquisitions made during the last decade. A more sizable deal is also seen as a target for the regulator: Google’s $1.1 billion purchase of mapping app Waze.
The FTC quickly approved the 2013 transaction, but antitrust experts say the regulator will take a second look because it combined two popular digital mapping services under the same corporate roof, eliminated a fast-growing Google rival and solidified the internet giant’s grip on valuable data.