Apple thus joins a list of major tech companies sued by U.S. regulators, including Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, and Amazon.com.
The U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple on Thursday, the Biden administration’s first major antitrust action against the iPhone maker, alleging that it monopolizes the smartphone market.
Apple thus joins a list of major tech companies sued by U.S. regulators, including Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, and Amazon.com, throughout both the Donald Trump and Biden presidencies.
“Consumers shouldn’t have to pay higher prices because companies violate antitrust laws,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement. “If left unchecked, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly.”
The California-based company stated in a release that the lawsuit is “incorrect on the facts and the law, and it will vigorously defend against it.”
“If successful, this lawsuit could set a dangerous precedent, giving the government significant power to heavily influence the design of the technology people use,” the group said in a statement.
“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that distinguish Apple products in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the type of technology people expect from Apple, where hardware, software, and services intersect,” it insisted.
The Department of Justice alleges that Apple uses its market power to extract more money from consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants.
The civil lawsuit accuses Apple of illegal monopoly in the smartphone sector, which it maintains by imposing contractual restrictions on developers and denying them fundamental access.
Apple has already faced antitrust investigations and orders in Europe, Japan, and Korea, as well as lawsuits from rival companies like Epic Games.
