US sues Apple for monopolising smartphone market

The US Department of Justice has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. It alleged that the technology company illegally restricted access to its hardware and software, thereby preventing competition.

According to a report by The New York Times, the Justice Department and 16 state attorneys general have accused Apple of violating antitrust laws by preventing other firms from offering applications that are in competition with Apple products like its digital wallet, which could diminish the value of the iPhone.

The department is hoping to put an end to those practices.

"Each step in Apple's course of count built and reinforced the moat around its smartphone monopoly," the New York Times quoted the government as saying in its lawsuit.

"Apple has maintained its power not because of its superiority but because of its unlawful exclusionary behaviour. Monopolies like Apple's threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based," the US attorney general, Merrick Garland, stated in a press conference on Thursday.

Apple denies accusations made in lawsuit

"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," Apple said

"It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering the government to take a heavy hand in designing people's technology. We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it," it added.