Apple faces questions for 'crippling' Google iPhone ads

Apple faces an investigation in the US into whether it is unfairly restricting rivals such as Google from advertising on the iPhone and iPad.

Anti-monopoly regulators are looking into Apple's actions, a source told the Financial Times, but it is not yet clear whether the Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice will take up an investigation.

Yesterday Google said changes to Apple's developers agreement would effectively cripple its advertising tools for the iPhone, creating "artificial" barriers to competition.

Apple changed the language of the agreement on Monday, which appears to prohibit certain third-party ad agencies from collecting critical usage data from iPhone applications.

Apple was not available for comment.