Apple is a company that has a very strong and dominant position in many of the markets in which it operates. Why have they been sued now? Californians are alleged to have created a monopoly in the smartphone market with the iPhone.
It was already known that this matter was going to happen. The question was “at what point is it going to happen?” The English-speaking news outlet Bloomberg first reported that The United States Department of Justice was going to initiate legal proceedings against the company. It has now been formalized and the process will take place in New Jersey.
Therefore, another chapter opens in which Apple will have to confront the United States government. One of the latest (and most notorious) cases was the ban on sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, after a court ruling in which it was determined that Apple had been plagiarizing the blood oxygen sensor, originally registered by Masimo.
In this case, although The Apple Watch does not play a leading role, it does appear as one of the ingredients which have led the US Department of Justice to sue Apple for creating a monopoly with the iPhone.
The United States wants to end the iPhone monopoly
From the middle 9to5Mac They release the statement that Apple has released, after learning of the decision of the government chaired by Joe Biden:
At Apple, we innovate every day to create technology that people love: we design products that work seamlessly together, protect people's privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users. This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple, where hardware, software and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering the government to intervene in the design of citizens' technology. We believe this lawsuit is factually and legally flawed, and we will vigorously defend against it.
And why is what Apple is doing considered a monopoly? From the same medium, They present the following reasons:
- Limited iPhone compatibility with smartwatches other than Apple Watch
- Exclusion from certain messaging applications
- Apple accused of suppressing mobile cloud streaming services
- Features such as CarPlay, FaceTime, news or entertainment subscription services
Apple's forced opening in Europe
In European territory, the California company has had to adapt to the new Digital Markets Law. To stop anti-monopoly and anti-competitive practices, the European Commission has imposed a series of requirements that they must meet if they want to continue operating normally.
Now it's time to face the United States, and see what moves they will have to make.
