(USNewsBreak.com) – Apple, one of the largest Big Tech companies in the United States, is no stranger to legal challenges. It’s currently facing a civil-action lawsuit centered on its AirTag device, but it’s not just civilians going after the company. The US government is accusing Apple of violating antitrust laws.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a suit against Apple in a New Jersey federal district court on Thursday, March 21. The 88-page lawsuit challenged Apple’s influence and reach, accusing the company of engaging in practices that keep customers reliant on its products. As such, they’re less likely to switch to a competitor. The DOJ is also accusing the company of not allowing customers access to competing apps in its Apple Store because it might harm the company’s bottom line.
U.S. hits Apple with landmark antitrust suit, accusing tech giant of stifling competition https://t.co/xf4trTiKgM pic.twitter.com/Q8XSXjzm8V
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Government attorneys specifically noted the iPhone in the lawsuit. The device is one of the most popular phones in the world, routinely leading on the top 10 list. But it’s not the popularity that DOJ attorneys are calling into question. Instead, it’s the practice of controlling user experiences that the government wants to break up. “Each step in Apple’s course of conduct built and reinforced the moat around its smartphone monopoly,” the lawsuit stated, adding that the company’s perpetual practices only result in “higher prices and less innovation.” The federal government seeks to stop Apple from engaging in these practices by forcing it to allow increased messaging across different smartphone operating systems, access to other digital wallet options, and cloud-streaming apps.
Apple has refuted the allegations in the antitrust lawsuit, saying its features only further serve to secure their devices, which is why many consumers turn to them in the first place. Allowing the federal government to intervene would enable it “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology,” a spokeswoman said.
The company is planning to file a motion to dismiss within the next two months.
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