09:17 AM EST, 02/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Apple's ( AAPL ) App Tracking Transparency Framework may give the company an advantage over third-party app developers, Germany's competition authority Bundeskartellamt, or Federal Cartel Office, said Thursday.

"The question at hand is whether Apple ( AAPL ) is allowed to apply stricter criteria to other providers than to itself when it comes to requesting such user consent," said Andreas Mundt, the regulator's president, referring to the regulator's preliminary findings.

"In our preliminary view, doing so may amount to unequal treatment and self-preferencing, which are prohibited under competition law," Mundt added.

The Federal Cartel Office also alleged that Apple ( AAPL ) requires more consent steps for rivals and designs prompts that may favor Apple's ( AAPL ) data collection over that of competitor apps.

The regulator said Apple ( AAPL ) has been allowed to respond.

A court ruling on a separate appeal by Apple ( AAPL ) against its designation as a dominant player under German competition law is expected on March 18, according to the Federal Cartel Office.

The regulator said it is working with the European Commission and other national regulators investigating Apple's ( AAPL ) policies.

Apple ( AAPL ) did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.