Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Apple
Attorney General Garland Accuses Tech Giant of Anti-Competitive Practices
Lawsuit Alleges Apple Maintains Monopoly Over Smartphone Market
Washington, D.C. - Attorney General Merrick Garland announced today that the Justice Department has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc., accusing the tech giant of anti-competitive practices that harm consumers. The lawsuit is joined by 16 other state and district attorneys general.
The Justice Department alleges that Apple has employed a strategy of exclusionary anti-competitive conduct that hurts competition and innovation in the smartphone market. This conduct includes restrictive contracts with wireless carriers, control over the distribution of apps on the App Store, and anti-competitive conduct against rivals.
Attorney General Garland stated that "Apple's conduct has stifled competition and innovation in the smartphone market, depriving consumers of the benefits of a truly competitive market." He added, "Today's lawsuit seeks to restore competition to the smartphone market and to ensure that consumers have the benefits of competition."
The lawsuit is a major escalation of the Justice Department's antitrust efforts against Big Tech. It is the first time the department has sued a major technology company for anti-competitive practices since it filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in 1998.
Apple has denied the allegations and has said it will vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit. The company has argued that its practices are necessary to protect its customers and to maintain the quality of its products.
The outcome of the lawsuit is uncertain, but it could have a significant impact on the tech industry and the future of competition in the digital world.
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