Apple has firmly rejected the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) antitrust claims, dismissing them as either outdated or misrepresentations of the company’s business model.
The DoJ’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple alleges that the tech giant has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act on multiple fronts, including imposing restrictive contracts and commissions on developers, limiting the functionality of non-Apple apps, and diminishing the capabilities of competing products like smartwatches and digital wallets.
In a detailed response, Apple has systematically refuted each of the DoJ’s claims, asserting that its practices are designed to protect user privacy, security, and experience, while also providing developers with ample opportunities to thrive on the iOS platform.
On the issue of contracts and commissions, Apple argues that the DoJ’s portrayal is misleading. The company states that 85 percent of developers do not pay any commission, and the vast majority are eligible for a reduced 15 percent commission rate. Additionally, Apple points to its legal victory over Epic Games, where the court upheld the company’s commission structure.
Regarding the alleged restrictions on “super apps,” Apple claims it has never prevented such apps from existing on iOS, citing examples like Facebook, WeChat, and Line that currently thrive on the platform.
Apple also denies the DoJ’s allegations of limiting cloud streaming services, stating that game streaming has always been allowed on the App Store and the company has even modified its guidelines to further promote such services.
The company refutes the DoJ’s concerns about excluding cross-platform messaging apps, asserting that it has no data suggesting users desire SMS functionality in third-party apps and noting that popular platforms like WhatsApp and Signal do not offer SMS on Android either.
On the issue of diminishing non-Apple smartwatch functionality, Apple argues that offering wide support for third-party smartwatches would require accounting for every model, operating system, and more, which is technically infeasible. The company claims that the fitness bands and smartwatches that do work with iPhones gain access through Apple-made APIs.
Apple also defends its digital wallet practices, stating that the technologies involved – such as NFC and the Secure Element – exist to promote ease of use, safety, and security for customers. Third parties can access these technologies through APIs, but cannot gain direct access to the NFC technology for security reasons.
On the issue of customer lock-in, Apple contends that its competitive advantages do not prevent users from switching to Android and points to the ease of transferring data from an iPhone to an Android device.
Finally, Apple rejects the DoJ’s comparison to Microsoft—emphasising that the company has only about 20 percent of the global smartphone market share by units.
As the DoJ’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple has only just been filed, a protracted legal battle is expected.
(Photo by Michail Sapiton)
See also: Epic to launch iOS and Android store with controversial 12% cut
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