Today, Apple’s legal team is set to request a federal judge to completely dismiss the antitrust case brought by the DOJ against the company.
The Department of Justice has been investigating Apple for several years to determine whether the company violated antitrust laws by misusing its dominant position in the US smartphone market. Following their investigation, the DOJ concluded that Apple did violate these laws, leading to the filing of charges in March of this year…
Overview of the DOJ Antitrust Case Against Apple
As previously mentioned, the DOJ’s lawsuit consisted of 88 pages and could be described as “extensive.”
This approach is a prime example of a ‘spray and pray’ strategy: including as many allegations as possible and hoping some will succeed.
The DOJ has compiled every antitrust accusation ever made against Apple—plus an additional claim that had never previously been raised—into formal charges against the company.
In response, Apple has denied all allegations and has committed to contesting each claim vigorously.
Apple’s Push for Dismissal of Charges
Reuters reports that Apple will today argue for the dismissal of all charges.
Apple intends to request a federal judge to dismiss the U.S. Department of Justice’s allegations that the company unlawfully dominates the smartphone market […]
Apple asserts that its restrictions on developers’ access to its technologies are justifiable, and that mandating the sharing of its technology with competitors would hinder innovation.
DMN’s Perspective
The DOJ’s lawsuit is poorly structured and makes some questionable assertions. Nevertheless, certain charges reflect those laid out in the EU, where Apple faced a guilty verdict.
We have previously argued that the adjustments Apple was required to implement in the EU will have minimal financial repercussions for the company.
For instance, Apple has had to allow access to the NFC chip for banking apps for contactless payments; however, most users are likely to continue utilizing the Wallet app for the convenience of managing multiple cards in a single application.
Similarly, while some may opt for third-party app stores, the vast majority of iPhone users will still purchase their apps via the official App Store.
Instead of repeatedly battling the same accusations across various countries and regions, Apple might be more effective in addressing the situation head-on and letting consumers decide with their purchasing choices.
Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash
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