Apple Argues DoJ Lawsuit Could Set 'Dangerous Precedent' for Tech Design

Apple contiguous filed a effect to the antitrust suit it is facing from the United States Department of Justice, sharing rebuttals to the DoJ's claims and pointing retired perceived flaws successful the accusations outlined successful the complaint.


According to Apple, the DoJ's suit has the imaginable to "set a unsafe precedent" that would let the authorities to dictate the plan and relation of technology, positive it threatens "the precise principles that acceptable the iPhone apart" from competing devices.

As a recap, the DoJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple successful March 2024, accusing Apple of an amerciable monopoly successful the smartphone market. To backmost up its accusation, the DOJ provided 5 examples of instances wherever Apple's decisions stifled contention and locked consumers into the ‌iPhone‌ ecosystem.

• Super apps - The DoJ claims that Apple blocks apps that connection "broad functionality," similar WeChat oregon apps that connection mini games and different multi-app features.


• Cloud streaming - Apple has been accused of suppressing unreality streaming games by preventing them from being disposable connected the App Store.


• Messaging apps - The DoJ took contented with the deficiency of an iMessage app for Android, the greenish bubble vs. bluish bubble separation, and Apple's delayed enactment for RCS. The DoJ besides believes that third-party apps should beryllium capable to nonstop and person SMS messages successful lieu of the Messages app.


• Smartwatches - Apple is accused of restricting cardinal functions from third-party smartwatches, preventing ‌iPhone‌ users from getting Apple Watch-like functionality from watches with "better idiosyncratic interfaces and services." The DoJ has besides complained astir the Apple Watch not being compatible with Android devices.


• Digital Wallets - The DoJ took contented with Apple's refusal to let banking apps and different integer outgo providers to entree the NFC spot successful the ‌iPhone‌ for outgo purposes.

Many of the DoJ's claims person been weakened oregon are nary longer relevant, due to the fact that Apple has addressed them. With iOS 17.4, for example, Apple eliminated restrictions connected unreality streaming apps and apps offering mini games connected iOS, and ace apps are and person been supported.

Apple adopted ‌RCS‌ since the DoJ's filing, improving messaging interoperability betwixt Android and ‌iPhone‌ devices, though messaging apps cannot person SMS oregon ‌RCS‌ messages alternatively of the Messages app. Apple opened up entree to NFC successful iOS 18.1, adding enactment for contactless NFC payments done third-party outgo apps.

Apple does not judge that the DoJ reasonably portrayed Apple's marketplace position. The DoJ uses gross arsenic its metric for calculating marketplace stock alternatively of portion sales, which Apple says is "unreasonable." The DoJ besides suggested that "performance smartphones" are a abstracted class from modular smartphones, adjacent though that is not a recognized instrumentality category. Apple besides argues that the U.S. numbers are not an close reflection of the planetary contention that it faces.

Apple points retired that the complaints that led to the Department of Justice's suit did not travel from ‌iPhone‌ customers, but alternatively from a tiny fig of developers that hap to see "some of Apple's largest and best-funded competitors." Apple claims that gathering the DoJ's demands would degrade the ‌iPhone‌ acquisition for consumers.
The antitrust laws bash not enforce upon Apple a work to plan its ain merchandise successful a mode that would amended suit its rivals astatine the disbursal of consumers whose devices mightiness beryllium little secure, little private, and little intuitive arsenic a result.

Ultimately this lawsuit is not astir the millions of satisfied iPhone users oregon adjacent the hundreds of thousands of iOS developers that bask economical success, it's predominantly astir a fewer ample companies free-riding connected Apple's exertion and innovation. The ailment is simply a misguided plea for a judicial redesign of 1 of the astir fashionable and innovative user products of each time, nether the guise of an antitrust case.
Much of Apple's effect features Apple denying the DoJ's claims, 1 by one, which is modular for this benignant of filing. The ineligible quality volition present participate the find phase, with Apple aiming to beryllium that the DoJ's allegations are inaccurate. From there, a summary judgement volition beryllium handed down, which could pb to a proceedings and appeals. The full process volition span years.

The ‌App Store‌ ecosystem is changing rapidly capable that the DoJ's claims whitethorn not beryllium applicable astatine each successful the future. In the past year, Apple changed aggregate ‌App Store‌ rules, some voluntarily and involuntarily. Apple's ineligible quality with Epic Games, for example, resulted successful Apple permitting developers to nonstop customers to third-party acquisition options connected the web with in-app links and nary associated fees. Similar changes could further nullify the DoJ's allegations, truthful it should beryllium absorbing to spot however the quality plays out.
This article, "Apple Argues DoJ Lawsuit Could Set 'Dangerous Precedent' for Tech Design" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

Discuss this article successful our forums