People familiar with the situation have said that anti-competition charges against Apple Inc. will be investigated by the U. S. Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC will look at whether Apple's business practices harm competition in the market for software used on mobile devices, insiders told the Wall Street Journal in an article published on Saturday.

Companies have complained to both the FTC and the Justice Department that they are being shut out of one of the most important emerging computing platforms, the Journal has said.

Google complained this past week that Apple's new rules for developers could bar Google and others from selling ads inside iPhone and iPad applications.

It has been reported that Apple has also banned software developers from using other companies' tools to develop software for Apple devices.

Adobe Systems has been feuding publicly with Apple over a decision to ban Adobe's Flash video technology from Apple devices.

It was also reported that in another development, Justice Department lawyers recently contacted companies about Apple's practices in the music business. (With Inputs from Agencies)