EU antitrust regulators are looking into possible anticompetitive issues involving the contracts Apple set for Apple's iPhone and iPad tablets. Concerns have been raised by a group of European telecommunications operators, a spokeperson on behalf of Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia's said on Friday.

The companies claim that the contracts Apple sets for selling its iPhone are strict and anti-competitive. Although they have not made a formal complaint, the European Commission can launch an investigation if it believes that an infringement may have taken place.

Earlier this month, EU authorities fined Microsoft 561 million euros ($730 million) for failing to provide customers with a choice of Internet browser.

European regulators have been also reviewing proposals from Google aimed at ending a probe into its dominance of online search advertising platforms.