US sues Apple for monopoly

The US Department of Justice just filed a monopoly lawsuit against Apple.. He is accompanied by 16 attorneys general and district attorneys who accuse the Cupertino firm of violating antitrust laws by preventing competitors from accessing critical features of its software and hardware.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple has developed an illegal strategy, supported by a series of actions that negatively impact innovation. From leveraging its position as the exclusive distributor of iPhone apps to making it difficult for mobile users to switch to other brands of phones.

The case also puts Cupertino’s maneuvers to block cloud gaming apps under scrutiny. Additionally, it attacks the communication quality asymmetry via text messages between iPhone and Android smartphones. Californians have vowed to remedy the situation by adopting the RCS protocol this year.

On the other hand, the justice aims to limit the functionality of third-party smartwatches connected to an Apple cell phone. And also the Apple Watch if you want to use it with other brands of phones.

But that is not all. The US Department of Justice questions the lack of opening of the NFC chip of the iPhone and Apple Watch so that its use is not limited to payments contactless via Apple Pay. If this all seems strangely familiar, that’s because many of the arguments in the lawsuit are similar to those used in the European Union’s Digital Markets Act to force Cupertino to change its ecosystem.

Apple faces monopoly lawsuit in US

The lawsuit against Apple was filed in the District Court of New Jersey and accuses Cupertino of violated paragraph 2. Sherman Antitrust Actor Sherman Antitrust Act. The Justice Department and prosecutors say the California company profited from “broad and exclusionary conduct” that harmed both its competitors and its customers.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference that Apple beats its competitors not by creating better products, but by making its competitors’ products worse. “Apple is undermining apps, products and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on iPhone, promote compatibility, and lower costs for consumers and developers. Today’s lawsuit seeks to hold Apple accountable and ensure that it cannot apply the same guidance illegally in other vital markets. ” he added.

“Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies violate antitrust laws. We argue that Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market by not just outperforming competitors on the merits, but by violating federal antitrust law. “Apple will only continue to strengthen its monopoly on smartphones. The Department of Justice will aggressively enforce antitrust laws that protect consumers from higher prices and fewer choices. “This is the Department of Justice’s legal commitment and what the American people expect and deserve. “

Merrick Garland, US Attorney General

The DOJ even compared Apple’s practices to Microsoft’s at the time. “Every step of Apple’s policies has created and strengthened a moat around its smartphone monopoly. The cumulative effect of this conduct was to maintain and strengthen Apple’s monopoly on smartphones at the expense of the users, developers and other third parties who helped create the iPhone that it is today,” the lawsuit states, the full text of which you can see below.

Apple responds

After the monopoly lawsuit against it became official, Apple expressed his dissatisfaction through a statement sent to the press. The firm, led by Tim Cook, says it will “vigorously defend” the allegations. Moreover, he argues that both the interpretation of the law and the facts are wrong.

“The 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 are integrated.” would also set a dangerous precedent by giving the government the ability to exert strong influence over the development of human technology. We believe this lawsuit is factually and legally erroneous, and we will vigorously defend against it.”

Manzana.

What measures is the US justice trying to introduce?

As we previously indicated, the monopoly lawsuit accuses Apple of violating Sherman Antitrust Act. The Justice Department and prosecutors are asking a New Jersey court to rule and rule that the Cupertino residents acted to “monopolize or attempt to monopolize” the U.S. smartphone market.

Also requested application of a series of measures prohibiting the California firm from continuing to engage in anticompetitive practices. Between them:

• Don’t let Apple use its control over app distribution to undermine cross-platform technologies like super apps, cloud streaming apps, etc.
• Stop Apple from using private APIs to undermine cross-platform technologies like messaging, smartwatches, and digital wallets, among others.
• Prohibit Apple from using the terms of its contracts with developers, accessory manufacturers, consumers, and others to obtain, maintain, expand, or consolidate a monopoly.

Fragment of the US lawsuit against Apple.