Apple responded to the Department of Justice lawsuit, which has been expected for some time. Apple said in a statement that the lawsuit threatens her identity and she will vigorously defend against it:
At Apple, we innovate every day to make people love technology by designing products that work together beautifully, protect people's privacy and security, and create magical experiences for our users. This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that distinguish Apple products in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it will prevent us from creating the technology people expect from Apple, where hardware, software and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent by giving the government the ability to tightly control the development of technology for people. We believe this lawsuit is inconsistent with the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it.
The announcement comes at the same time that the Department of Justice formally announces its lawsuit against Apple. regarding alleged monopolistic practices regarding the iPhone.
The antitrust lawsuit was filed by the US Department of Justice, as well as 17 states. US Attorney General Garland defends the lawsuit, saying Apple “will only continue to strengthen its monopoly on smartphones.” if left unattended.
The lawsuit specifically targets Apple for what the Justice Department characterizes as limiting app growth, limited iPhone compatibility with third-party smartwatches, exclusion of certain messaging apps, and more.
Other details seem outdated, such as accusations that Apple is suppressing mobile cloud streaming services. Earlier this year, Apple changed its policies regarding cloud gaming services.
However, the lawsuit appears to characterize every Apple competitive move regarding the iPhone as anticompetitive. This includes features such as CarPlay, FaceTime, news and entertainment subscriptions, location services and more.
One particularly interesting statement is that Apple discourages families from forcing children to use Android phones using anti-competitive practices.
As mentioned above, Apple will apparently challenge the Justice Department in court on antitrust charges related to the iPhone. This process is expected to take several iPhone release cycles.
You can read the 88-page lawsuit here.
