Technology Five takeaways from the US antitrust lawsuit against Apple

[vtqhtr413]

Content source

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/21/24107651/apple-us-antitrust-lawsuit-doj-five-takeaways

The US government says Apple has gone too far in trying to preserve the iPhone’s sales momentum — with consumers and developers both paying the price.

The US Department of Justice is suing Apple for “monopolizing smartphone markets” to help guarantee the iPhone’s continued success — to the detriment of consumers and third-party developers. The suit was filed on March 21st and will take a long time to play out. It touches on everything from iMessage lock-in and App Store developer fees to “super apps” and cloud gaming. If the government is successful, we could witness a sea change moment for the iPhone and Apple’s ecosystem at large.

Apple, as expected, is deeply critical of the DOJ’s antitrust filing. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” said Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz. The company also said the legal battle sets “a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”

The iPhone is at the center of everything​

With well over 1 billion units sold, the iPhone is Apple’s leading moneymaker. And the DOJ’s argument boils down to one central idea: Apple is doing everything it can to keep things that way and maintain the iPhone’s popularity. But the company has pushed into unfair territory and used underhanded tactics that give its own devices (like the Apple Watch) and services (Apple Pay) a distinct advantage over those of the competition, which cannot offer the same experience.

Five takeaways from the huge US antitrust lawsuit against Apple

The iPhone is at the heart of the DOJ’s antitrust case.

www.theverge.com

 

[Digmor Crusher]

Apple tries to keep all their tech exclusive , whereas Google will give their android operating system to any phone manufacturer who asks .

 

[simmerskool]

I don't understand the basis for this lawsuit... where's the monopoly...
"In the US, iPhone has a 57.93% market share.
As of 2023, Android has a 70.29% global market share."

iPhone vs Android User Stats (2024 Data)

How are iPhone and Android users different? This report compares iPhone and Android’s market share, user demographics, user loyalty, app downloads, and revenue.

explodingtopics.com

 

[BigWrench]

My 2 cents worth…. I’ve seen that some of the apps I use on my iPhone as of late have required OS 16 and above to use. Including my hearing aids. Lots of financial apps, and actually a T-Mobile app, to name just a few. It really bothers me that you have to shell out another duffel bag of money just to do business on an app. This to me sure seems to have been pre mediated early on to keep you coming back to their cash register. In business, you can’t build something that lasts forever, or you will be out of business at some point. I personally feel that they are guilty of “some sort of a monopoly”.

Just my 2 cents worth.
EDIT... I upgraded from an iPhone 6 to an iPhone 12 pro. Due to the above issues. Worked flawlessly for 12 years or so.

 

[n8chavez]

I don't understand the basis for this lawsuit... where's the monopoly...
"In the US, iPhone has a 57.93% market share.
As of 2023, Android has a 70.29% global market share."

iPhone vs Android User Stats (2024 Data)

How are iPhone and Android users different? This report compares iPhone and Android’s market share, user demographics, user loyalty, app downloads, and revenue.

explodingtopics.com

So, apparently, the basic concepts of math allude you? If apple has 58% of the US market and their tactics are anti-competitive isn't that the very definition of a monopoly.

 

[simmerskool]

My 2 cents worth…. I’ve seen that some of the apps I use on my iPhone as of late have required OS 16 and above to use. Including my hearing aids. Lots of financial apps, and actually a T-Mobile app, to name just a few. It really bothers me that you have to shell out another duffel bag of money just to do business on an app. This to me sure seems to have been pre mediated early on to keep you coming back to their cash register. In business, you can’t build something that lasts forever, or you will be out of business at some point. I personally feel that they are guilty of “some sort of a monopoly”.

Just my 2 cents worth.

don't disagree. most of the apps on my iphone are free... I just received a new hearing aid app and it seems to be working correctly (finally). I probably need to read the DOJ petition to understand what they think the problem is, but just not THAT interested, at least for now. I did recently upgrade from iphone 11 to 15 running iOS 17.4. I have never used an android, for me Apple just works, the integration of their various devices.

 

[simmerskool]

So, apparently, the basic concepts of math allude you? If apple has 58% of the US market and their tactics are anti-competitive isn't that the very definition of a monopoly.

so then in US, android has 42%(?). not clear to me why 58% market is a monopoly, when worldwide android does better, 70%, but I did not study study economics in school. I did not read the full article just the blurb and missed the part about Apple's alleged anti-competitive tactics. I don't know enough about tactics to comment beyond android apparently does better world-wide. The blurb says the lawsuit will take a long time to play out and that Apple is deeply critical of the lawsuit. So it is not black & white and as crystal clear as you infer by your 58% comment.

"monopoly: In commercial law. A privilege or peculiar advantage vested in one or more persons or companies, consisting in the exclusive right (or power) to carry on a particular business or trade, manufacture"

You searched for monopoly - The Law Dictionary

thelawdictionary.org

 

[n8chavez]

so then in US, android has 42%(?). not clear to me why 58% market is a monopoly, when worldwide android does better, 70%, but I did not study study economics in school. I did not read the full article just the blurb and missed the part about Apple's alleged anti-competitive tactics. I don't know enough about tactics to comment beyond android apparently does better world-wide. The blurb says the lawsuit will take a long time to play out and that Apple is deeply critical of the lawsuit. So it is not black & white and as crystal clear as you infer by your 58% comment.

"monopoly: In commercial law. A privilege or peculiar advantage vested in one or more persons or companies, consisting in the exclusive right (or power) to carry on a particular business or trade, manufacture"

You searched for monopoly - The Law Dictionary

thelawdictionary.org

Because there is no one single company that is Android. It was given away for free by Google to alter as anyone sees fit. The problem is that Apple is one company, using unfair pressure on its users and developers to maintain that share.

 

[Azazel]

"give its own devices and services a distinct advantage over those of the competition, which cannot offer the same experience."
One thing apple does limit its api for other software vendors (performance) and uses up to date device functionality.
Example keeping users on safari by using the latest and greatest technologies and give chrome an outdated safari version which is slow to work with.
Apple also has a close ecosystem which makes it impossible to interpolate with other vendors products.
For example someone said it's hell to connect android to macos and ios to windows.

Another example Apple refusing to enable RCS on imessages, making communication from iphone to android less optimal - worse user experience.
The majority of iphone users used imassages to communicate with each other putting pressure on android by being left out

From articles i have read.

 

[vtqhtr413]

Call it a “walled garden” or an ecosystem, but at the heart of Thursday’s blockbuster US lawsuit against Apple are the many ways the company gets customers to remain faithful to its products.

Very early on in its nearly half-century history, Apple made a decision that its products were to stand out alone and shouldn’t be combined with products from other companies.

With fans touting its better design and easier interface, Apple computers often drew the vitriol of PC users who equated its products as a technological straitjacket, denying users flexibility to add software and features as they saw fit.

This ethos never left Apple and very much informs the accusations brought against Apple: the company built by Steve Jobs is like the Hotel California, you can check out but you can never leave.

https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/apples-walled-garden-under-fire-in-lawsuit/article

Apple CarPlay is anticompetitive, too, US lawsuit alleges

CarPlay and digital keys cited as evidence of illegal behavior.

www.theverge.com

 

[simmerskool]

Because there is no one single company that is Android. It was given away for free by Google to alter as anyone sees fit. The problem is that Apple is one company, using unfair pressure on its users and developers to maintain that share.

I did not read "unfair pressure" in the blurb above... Samsung sold more phones in Q1 2023 than Apple according to this article... (& other companies are also selling android phones...) The monopoly allegation is not immediately obvious to me, fwiw. Why can't Apple develop an OS (& hardware) and keep it proprietary? I have read Tesla is coming out with a phone.

Samsung has sold more phones than Apple so far in 2023, but the fight's not over yet

Samsung and Apple have been locking horns for the top spot for a while now

www.androidpolice.com

 

[simmerskool]

https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/apples-walled-garden-under-fire-in-lawsuit/article

Apple CarPlay is anticompetitive, too, US lawsuit alleges

CarPlay and digital keys cited as evidence of illegal behavior.

www.theverge.com

good points, but I'm not seeing that as a monopoly, but rather Apple building a better mousetrap, use it or not as you like. If I was unhappy with my iphone, I'd buy something else, Samsung, Motorola... I have owned a Noika, Blackberry, and Motorola phones, but for the last several years, I think Apple builds a better phones, while techie friends tell me to get an android, but I'm happy with Apple for now, and thought I had plenty of options to buy something else. PS my Tesla does NOT have Apple Carplay...

 

[vtqhtr413]

good points, but I'm not seeing that as a monopoly, but rather Apple building a better mousetrap, use it or not as you like. If I was unhappy with my iphone, I'd buy something else, Samsung, Motorola... I have owned a Noika, Blackberry, and Motorola phones, but for the last several years, I think Apple builds a better phones, while techie friends tell me to get an android, but I'm happy with Apple for now, and thought I had plenty of options to buy something else. PS my Tesla does NOT have Apple Carplay...

I'm mostly in agreement with you on the monopoly stuff, I had an iPhone 5s and it was very nice, unfortunately it was also fragile and prone to overheating so I went with android from there.

 

[simmerskool]

I'm mostly in agreement with you on the monopoly stuff, I had an iPhone 5s and it was very nice, unfortunately it was also fragile and prone to overheating so I went with android from there.

I had a blackberry retro-time, office friend said try an Apple, that was a v4, and continued with Apple thru current 15 (but not every year). I did buy an Apple mac-mini, for optimal integration with my iphone, wife's iMac, and AppleTV... so sure Apple stuff does integrate better with other Apple stuff. Is that a feature or unfair marketing tactics... I think feature...

 

[n8chavez]

good points, but I'm not seeing that as a monopoly, but rather Apple building a better mousetrap, use it or not as you like. If I was unhappy with my iphone, I'd buy something else, Samsung, Motorola... I have owned a Noika, Blackberry, and Motorola phones, but for the last several years, I think Apple builds a better phones, while techie friends tell me to get an android, but I'm happy with Apple for now, and thought I had plenty of options to buy something else. PS my Tesla does NOT have Apple Carplay...

Because Samsung phones are fully compatible with other android phones. Apple phones are fully not compatible with anything but other Apple phones. RCS versus imessage, for example, can be frustration. No one on an android phone can correctly read a message sent from an iphone. With Samsung, yes they too have an "ecosystem" like Apple. Howerver, theirs' is not closed and exclusionary like Apple's is. They still play nice with others. Apple does not. There are more differences below.

iPhone

• Closed hardware and software ecosystem.
• Manufacturer: Apple.
• Built-in assistant: Siri.
• Fewer versions available at a time.
• Features limited to what Apple implements.

Android

• Easy to download apps from both official and unofficial sources.
• Manufacturers: Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Garmin, and others.
• Built-in assistant: Google Assistant
• Available with a variety of features and prices.

 

[n8chavez]

I did not read "unfair pressure" in the blurb above... Samsung sold more phones in Q1 2023 than Apple according to this article... (& other companies are also selling android phones...) The monopoly allegation is not immediately obvious to me, fwiw. Why can't Apple develop an OS (& hardware) and keep it proprietary? I have read Tesla is coming out with a phone.

Samsung has sold more phones than Apple so far in 2023, but the fight's not over yet

Samsung and Apple have been locking horns for the top spot for a while now

www.androidpolice.com

No. Tesla is not coming out with an iphone. Only apple can come out with iphones, that's the point.

 

[vtqhtr413]

No. Tesla is not coming out with an iphone. Only apple can come out with iphones, that's the point.

He didn't say iPhone, he said phone and it is a thing.

 

[simmerskool]

Because Samsung phones are fully compatible with other android phones. Apple phones are fully not compatible with anything but other Apple phones. RCS versus imessage, for example, can be frustration. No one on an android phone can correctly read a message sent from an iphone. With Samsung, yes they too have an "ecosystem" like Apple. Howerver, theirs' is not closed and exclusionary like Apple's is. They still play nice with others. Apple does not. There are more differences below.

iPhone

• Closed hardware and software ecosystem.
• Manufacturer: Apple.
• Built-in assistant: Siri.
• Fewer versions available at a time.
• Features limited to what Apple implements.

Android

• Easy to download apps from both official and unofficial sources.
• Manufacturers: Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Garmin, and others.
• Built-in assistant: Google Assistant
• Available with a variety of features and prices.

I do not disagree with what you are saying, but Apple has always had its software and its hardware, while MS Windows ran on various vendors' hardware. (I think I read that MS "stole" Windows from Xerox...? but I really do not recall the details or veracity of that)
I did read that Apple was changing its iMessage, but for years I texted friends with android and they got my texts and knew what they said & replied. So I am not up to speed on this issue.
You omitted Apple has had less hacking of its iphone and computers, and Apple would assert that is because of its closed hardware and software ecosystem, at least in part. Others "argue" that Apple has less hacking because of its smaller marketshare, so how is having a smaller marketshare a monopoly?? I still have not read the DOJ petition, but I am interested in seeing how this case is resolved over the next several years.
Apple does have various models at different prices, and that is limited by what Apple chooses to put on the market. Ok with me. Do not see what is unfair about that, fwiw.
I think we agree on many of the facts but have different opinions about the conclusion. That's ok, enjoy your android and while I enjoy my iphone.

 

[simmerskool]

No. Tesla is not coming out with an iphone. Only apple can come out with iphones, that's the point.

my typo, Tesla is coming out with a Tesla phone. Some say it will be superior to Apple iphones, and to android phones.

 

[vtqhtr413]

I think I read that MS "stole" Windows from Xerox...? but I really do not recall the details or veracity of that)

Top 5 Myths About Microsoft

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