The Biden administration filed a landmark lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the tech giant of creating a monopoly in the market of smartphones by inhibiting competitors from accessing the iPhone’s software and hardware features.
Filed by the Department of Justice in federal court, sixteen state and district attorneys general also joined the DOJ in bringing the case.
The Department of Justice's lawsuit against Apple asserts that the company has utilized its authority over the iPhone to participate in a comprehensive, ongoing, and unlawful pattern of behavior aimed at preserving its dominance in the smartphone industry and obstructing its competitors from attracting consumers.
The DOJ’s allegations against Apple include claims that the company has attempted to impede the proliferation of “SuperApps” that facilitate consumers' ability to transition between smartphone platforms.
Apple is also accused of obstructing the development of cloud streaming applications and services that would simplify consumers' access to high-quality games and other applications without requiring additional hardware purchases. Furthermore, the DOJ asserts that Apple intentionally degraded the quality and security of cross-platform messaging to encourage users of other smartphones, such as Android devices, to switch to iPhones instead.
Attorney General Garland and other senior DOJ officials are scheduled to formally announce the lawsuit during a press conference at the Justice Department on Thursday morning.
