Translated material
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Apple. The company was accused of monopolizing the smartphone market
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of monopolizing the smartphone market and stifling competition.
In the lawsuit, the department alleges that the company used "its control over iPhone to unlawfully limit competitors and consumers' options." The Justice Department accuses Apple of hindering the growth of new applications and reducing the attractiveness of competing products.
The lawsuit lists several steps that, according to the US Department of Justice, were taken by the company. In particular, it talks about blocking applications “that would make it easier for consumers to switch between competing smartphone platforms,” limiting third-party digital wallets, and “reducing the functionality” of smartwatches produced by other companies. In addition, Apple, according to the Ministry of Justice, degraded the quality of its own messaging application on other devices so that customers were forced to continue using the iPhone.
“Monopolies like Apple threaten the free and fair markets on which our economy is based. They stifle innovation. They harm producers and workers and increase costs for consumers. If Apple is not confronted, it will only continue to strengthen its monopoly. The company is creating barriers that make it extremely difficult and costly for both users and developers to expand beyond the Apple ecosystem,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland (as quoted by CNN ).
Apple rejected the US Justice Department's accusations and said the lawsuit threatens the company's core business.
“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that distinguish Apple products in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it will hinder our ability to create the technology people expect from Apple, where hardware, software and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent by giving governments tight control over technology development. We believe this lawsuit is meritless as a matter of fact and law, and we will vigorously defend against it,” the company said .
- Bloomberg notes that this is the third time in 14 years that the US Department of Justice is suing Apple over alleged violations of antitrust laws. However, this is the first time the company has been accused of “illegally maintaining its dominant position.”
- In early March, the European Commission fined Apple 1.8 billion euros because the company prohibited music app developers from telling users about other payment methods outside the App Store.