According to the latest report, Apple spent $ 2.5 million on lobbying in the first three months of 2022, a record high for the company. The new lobbying spending is reportedly in response to antitrust legislation being considered by the U.S. government.
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Moreover, Apple spent $1.86 million on lobbying in the fourth quarter of 2021, so its spending grew by more than 34% in the first quarter of 2022. Apple’s previous record for spending was $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2017 when Apple was arguing with the FBI over unlocking iPhones.
Furthermore, antitrust legislation is being enacted in both the United States and Europe, which will have a major impact on how tech companies such as Apple operate. In the U.S., the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved bills such as the Open App Market Act, which would require Apple to allow alternative app stores and alternative payment methods on the iPhone.
The U.S. has yet to pass any bills, but the Senate is considering them, while the European Union has tentatively agreed on a digital marketplace bill, similar to the Open Marketplace for Apps Act. Like Apple, Google has been lobbying against these antitrust bills, and the company spent $ 2.96 million in the first quarter of 2022.
