Google is in the middle of an antitrust case that could see the company one search engine lighter. However, the U.S. DOJ (Department Of Justice) doesn’t only have its axe to the search giant’s neck, as Apple also needs to fend off an antitrust suit. Apple urged the DOJ not dismiss its antitrust case to the courts.
If mega corporations are the bullies on the playground kicking over the smaller kids’ sand castles, then regulators are the tired parents pulling the bullies’ ears. As big as large corporations are, governmental regulators have the power to knock them down a peg. Apple has been battling with EU regulators over how it manages the App Store among other things.
This latest antitrust lawsuit alleges something that we’ve all known for a while. It says that Apple maintains a Monopoly on the smartphone market by locking customers in its ecosystem and raising prices. Also, the company limits the functionality of third-party smartwatches, only offering a full experience with the Apple Watch. This case is a long time coming, some people feel.
Apple urged the DOJ not to dismiss its antitrust case
An antitrust this big could have a major effect on the company and its future plans, so you can bet that Mr. Tim Cook won’t take it sitting down. According to a new report, Apple reached out to a federal judge, asking it to dismiss the case it’s built against it. The company argued that there’s no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing.
The DOJ held a hearing on Wednesday, and DOJ counsel Jonathan Lasken stated that “The court is allowed to use common sense.” He continued, “We’re here today based on the idea that it’s not plausible that [Apple] has monopoly power, but instead is at the mercy of supposed global behemoths who are a fraction of its size.”
“Building a superior product”
Back in August, Apple argued that this case is outlandish. “[This case] is based on the false premise that iPhone’s success has come not through building a superior product that consumers trust and love, but through Apple’s intentional degradation of iPhone to block purported competitive threats.”
This characterizes exactly what the company does, according to many people. We can’t deny that iPhones are technical marvels. They’re some of the best phones on the market. The question is: Why does Apple need to hinder the messaging experience for Android users and block third-party smartwatches? If the iPhone is purely superior, why pull underhanded moves like those?
Apple is a massive company; however, it’s block certain functionality for much smaller companies that just want to have a chance to compete. No smartwatch can touch the Apple Watch’s market share, and this is partly because third-party companies are operating on a handicap.
Apple flatters the competition
Apple also argued that the companies it harmed as “well-capitalized social media companies, big banks, and global gaming developers.” So, it says that the companies affected by its actions aren’t quite small. The thing is that this doesn’t characterize the entirety of the competition. There are many small companies being hindered by Apple.
The District Court Judge will hold the power over the decision. Judge Julien Xavier Neals says that he wants to make the decision before January. This gives him just over a month to bring down the gavel. It makes sense that he wants to make this decision quickly, as January is when America gets a new driver for the next four years, so this could have an effect on the final decision.
