- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is the 500-pound gorilla behind a Justice Dept. probe of the big four wireless carriers that dented their stocks this afternoon, Bloomberg is saying, and multiple device makers are said to have complained about potential coordination.
- The DOJ started an investigation into whether AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) might be colluding to thwart "eSIM" technology that eases switching from carrier to carrier, The New York Times reported, sending their stocks into a decline before they partly recovered by the close. CNBC said it learned that Sprint (NYSE:S) and T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS) received DOJ requests as well.
- The probe is also looking into whether industry standards organization GSMA was part of the collusion.
- Carriers are ticking up a bit after hours: S +0.3%; VZ +0.1%.