LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada is one of four states that is joining the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against Apple.
According to the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the Justice Department alleges that Apple illegally has a monopoly over smartphones by imposing contractual restrictions on, and withholding critical access points from, developers.
"Apple undermines apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone, promote interoperability, and lower costs for consumers and developers," the department claims. "Apple exercises its monopoly power to extract more money from consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants, among others."
Some examples the complaint mentions include:
- Blocking super apps
- Suppressing mobile cloud streaming service
- Excluding cross-platform messaging apps
- Diminishing the functionality of non-Apple smartwatches
- Limiting third-party digital wallets
The complaint also states that Apple "wraps itself in a cloak of privacy, security, and consumer preferences to justify its anti-competitive conduct" and that Apple "selectively compromises privacy and security interests when doing so is in Apple's own financial interest."
In a press release, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said by violating federal antitrust law, "Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly."
There are 20 states involved in the lawsuit, as of Tuesday morning.
Last month, Apple sent a letter to U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals asking him to dismiss the lawsuit.
Apple claims they are "far from being a monopolist, Apple faces fierce competition from well-established rivals, and the complaint fails to allege that Apple has the ability to charge supra-competitive prices or restrict output in the alleged smartphone markers."
You can read the full complaint below.
U.S. Justice Department files lawsuit against Apple by jarah.wright on Scribd
