US Justice Department Sues Apple in Antitrust Case Over iPhone

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Thu Mar 21, 2024, 10:39 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: Bloomberg

March 21, 2024 at 10:31 AM EDT


The US Justice Department and 16 attorneys general sued Apple Inc. Thursday, accusing the iPhone maker of violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features on its popular devices.

The suit, filed in New Jersey federal court, marks the culmination of a five-year probe into the world’s second-most-valuable technology company. The Biden administration has made competition a cornerstone of its economic policy, with Silicon Valley becoming a key focus.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple has used its power over app distribution on the iPhone to thwart innovations that would have made it easier for consumers to switch phones. The company has refused to support cross-platform messaging apps, limited third-party digital wallets and non-Apple smartwatches and blocked mobile cloud streaming services.

Apple recently added support for cloud-based gaming services and said it would add RCS cross-platform messaging later this year. The group of attorneys general includes those of California, New Jersey and Washington, DC.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-21/us-justice-department-sues-apple-in-antitrust-case-over-iphone

---

Article updated.

Previous article/headline/link -

Justice Department to Sue Apple for Antitrust Violations as Soon as Thursday

March 20, 2024 at 5:22 PM EDT
Updated on March 21, 2024 at 9:35 AM EDT


The US Justice Department is preparing to announce an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc. Thursday, according to two people familiar with the matter. The suit is expected to be filed in federal court in New Jersey, said one of the people, both of whom asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter.

Apple shares fell more than 1% to $176.72 at 9:34 a.m. in New York on Thursday. They had been down 7.2% this year through Wednesday's close.

The move escalates the Biden administration's antitrust fights against most of the biggest US technology giants. The Justice Department is already suing Alphabet Inc.'s Google for monopolization, while the Federal Trade Commission is pursuing antitrust cases against Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.

The US is accusing Apple, the world's second-most-valuable tech company, of violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features of its iPhone, among other breaches. Apple and the Justice Department didn't respond to requests for comment.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-20/doj-to-sue-apple-for-antitrust-violations-as-soon-as-thursday

Original article -

March 20, 2024 at 5:22 PM EDT
Updated on March 20, 2024 at 5:42 PM EDT


The Justice Department is poised to sue Apple Inc. as soon as Thursday, accusing the world's second most valuable tech company of violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features of its iPhone.

The suit, which is expected to be filed in federal court, according to people familiar with the matter, escalates the Biden administration's antitrust fights against most of the biggest US technology giants. The Justice Department is already suing Alphabet Inc.'s Google for monopolization, while the Federal Trade Commission is pursuing antitrust cases against Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.

Apple and the Justice Department didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The people familiar asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter. Apple shares fell as much as 1.4% to $176.10 in late trading on the news. They had been down 7.2% this year through Wednesday's close.

The coming case will mark the third time that the Justice Department has sued Apple for antitrust violations in the past 14 years, but it is the first case accusing the iPhone maker of illegally maintaining its dominant position.

[SunSeeker]

1. Good. Apple does some really underhanded shit.

As DOJ alleges, Apple is violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features of its iPhone. https://fortune.com/2024/03/20/apple-justice-department-antitrust-lawsuit-rivals-iphone/

They make iPhone videos hard to share with other phones, to get people to buy iPhone so they can see their friends' videos. My Gen X son and all his friends have iPhones for this reason, as well as to be able to use FaceTime, another feature that only works on iPhones.

[hlthe2b]

2. I get it, but I also still believe consumers have benefitted from Apples' security controls that

Last edited Thu Mar 21, 2024, 06:21 AM - Edit history (1)

stem from their strict oversight in the past over compatible apps. For me, that is far more important, but ymmv. I know the younger among us don't put that as high on the list as being able to share videos and other content.

Still, there are far more imminent issues with anti-trust, especially given all these intended anti-consumer MERGERS that I would bump to the priority list.

[SouthernDem4ever]

4. I would like having facetime on my Android

But it's proprietary software made by Apple. It would end up being a different app available on both platforms if anything.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. That may be how they have to do it

although usually you see that with 3rd party developers who port their apps to multiple platforms vs an originator making the app compatible to their competitor.

[usonian]

10. Stuff to try.

Shortest answer:

I tried this sharing technique with a friend, but we failed to make the connection. Could be that he was using older gear.

How to Use FaceTime for Android

https://www.howtogeek.com/738803/how-to-use-facetime-for-android/

One can try using Signal Messenger all around. It’s free, and supports video calls.

https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360052977792-Group-Calling-Voice-or-Video

Naturally, when I tried firing up Signal after a period of non-use, I had problems.

They should work with more effort on my part (It’s not urgent with me) and hope you have better luck than I did.

HTH

[Voltaire2]

3. Good. About time we started regulating again.

[usonian]

5. Justice Department has its priorities. (Backwards)

Saving democracy? Maybe not so important.

Apple has lost a bunch of class-action lawsuits, and modified some of its monopolistic behavior. Such behavior is almost intrinsic to companies that benefit from walled gardens and the network effect. So prosecute them all? They almost all do it.

I am no friend of monopolies, but I'd rather see resources thrown against seditious forces trying to violently overthrow democracy with the blessing, propaganda arms and resources of a foreign power (or powers) than anti-trust.

Which is the greater threat?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Different unit (Anti-Trust) out a Department with multiple agencies and 115,000 employees.

DOJ isn't just 3 employees - Garland, Smith, and Wray.

https://www.justice.gov/atr

ETA to illustrate (green = Division doing Apple and red = agency and Offices doing J6)

[usonian]

8. OK I get it

Some units are just more aggressive, albeit against an entire industry full of shady practices and dark patterns, than an individual daily offering up incriminating confessions, taunting, pushing limits, possibly pulling strings to sway prosecutors and judges, and threatening violence (by lackeys) against the justice system and general public.

Who doesn't need a mini rage rant now and then?

Congratulations to the brave prosecutors and staff administering the concrete enema that the orange menace deserves.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. It's how Congress funds them and Congress usually allocates funding to specific entities within DOJ

and requires them to carry out specific activities.

They just went through their own funding nightmare over a week ago with the first appropriations "Minibus".

E.g., there was a relevant J6 story on their budget request back in 2022 for FY'23 -

DOJ seeks 131 more prosecutors for Jan. 6 cases as investigation of Capitol riot continues

The request for additional personnel was part of the Justice Department's budget proposal unveiled Monday.

Kevin Johnson
USA TODAY
Published 3:32 p.m. ET March 28, 2022 | Updated 3:43 p.m. ET March 28, 2022


The Justice Department is seeking 131 more attorneys to pursue prosecutions streaming from the sprawling investigation into the deadly Capitol attack, signaling no immediate end to one of the largest criminal inquiries in U.S. history.

The request for additional personnel was part of Justice's $37.7 billion 2023 budget proposal unveiled Monday by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

"Regardless of whatever resources we see or get, let's be very, very clear: we are going to hold those perpetrators accountable, no matter where the facts lead us ... no matter what level," Monaco said.

More than 775 people have been charged so far in connection with the attack, though Justice has repeatedly declined to comment on whether the investigation includes the conduct of former President Donald Trump, his advisers or other members of the administration in inciting the assault or seeking to overturn the 2020 election.

(snip)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/28/justice-department-prosecutors-jan-6-cases/7195328001/