The Justice Department has filed a significant antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday. This lawsuit follows years of criticism alleging that Apple's app store terms, high fees, and closed technology ecosystem have hindered competition.
The case is part of the Biden administration's efforts to hold Big Tech companies accountable under US antitrust law. Apple is the last major tech giant that the federal government has yet to sue, despite being identified in a comprehensive House report in 2020 as having 'monopoly power' along with Meta, Google, and Amazon.
In addition to potential fines, the lawsuit's remedies could challenge Apple's core business strategy of integrating hardware and software products and creating revenue streams around its product ecosystem.
It is important to note that antitrust laws are designed to prevent practices that allow companies to dominate a market and stifle competition. The Sherman Antitrust Act, as outlined on the Department of Justice (DOJ) website, deems agreements among competitors to fix prices, rig bids, or allocate customers as criminal violations.
