FTC approves Google's AdMob acquisition

The Federal Trade Commission has approved Google's purchase of mobileadvertising company AdMob, reports the New York Times.

Earlier this month, competitors said that Google's acquisition of AdMob would give it an unfair advantage in the mobile advertising space. The FTC approved the deal unanimously, though, in a five-to-zero vote. According the New York Times, the FTC said the transaction was "unlikely to harm competition in the emerging market for mobile advertising networks."

Apple's acquisition of AdMob competitor Quattro and the recent release of the iAd platform ensured there would be healthy competition in the mobile marketing space, said the FTC.

Google made several public statements that, if the FTC had vetoed the acquisition, it would take the decision to court. Several developers would have backed the search giant, reports the Times.

It appeared as if the FTC would file an antitrust suit against Google earlier this month, anonymous sources within the FTC told Bloomberg. Together, Google and AdMob would account for 20 percent of the mobile advertising space.