4 states join DOJ lawsuit against Apple over alleged smartphone market monopolization
Date
6/12/2024 5:33:19 AM
(MENAFN) On Tuesday, four additional states—Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington—joined an existing lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice against Apple. The lawsuit, which originally saw the participation of 15 states and the District of Columbia when it was filed in March, accuses the iPhone manufacturer of monopolizing the smartphone market.
In their statement, the Department of Justice highlighted that the lawsuit contends Apple has been leveraging its market dominance to unfairly extract higher amounts of money from a wide range of stakeholders, including consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants. Central to these allegations is the claim that Apple has been imposing restrictive contractual terms on developers, thereby unlawfully monopolizing the smartphone market.
Previously, the Department of Justice noted that Apple charges up to USD1,599 for an iPhone, a price point that allows it to achieve higher profit margins than any of its competitors. Moreover, officials have pointed out that Apple imposes hidden fees on various business partners—ranging from software developers to credit card companies and even competitors like Google. These practices are alleged to contribute to increased costs for consumers in the end.
In response to these accusations, Apple has indicated its intention to request a federal judge in New Jersey to dismiss the case. The company argues that it operates in a fiercely competitive environment with well-established rivals, countering the claims of monopolistic behavior.
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