Apple Met With DOJ Antitrust Chief in Bid to Head Off Antitrust Lawsuit

[MacRumors]

Apple representatives met with the U.S. Justice Department last week in a last ditch effort to persuade the agency not to file an antitrust suit against the company, according to Bloomberg.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the report states that Apple and its lawyers met with Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who will have the final say on whether to file a suit.

Since 2019, the Justice Department has been looking into Apple's App Store business practices and whether iOS favors Apple's own apps and services over those provided by third-party developers and other companies.

The DOJ began by inquiring about Apple's App Store policies, and reportedly met with developers to learn more about the App Store's review process.

The department reportedly escalated its probe in early 2023 by assigning additional litigators to the case and requesting documents and consultations with companies connected to the investigation.

Apple has been accused of or investigated for anticompetitive practices in several other countries over the past few years, with many of the complaints related to the App Store. Most recently, Apple announced major changes to the way the App Store and apps operate in the EU in order to comply with the bloc's inbound Digital Markets Act before March 7, and the DOJ has reportedly been monitoring these developments.

The DOJ is expected to make its first legal move in the coming weeks, likely by the end of March, according to Bloomberg's sources, potentially leaving Apple facing an antitrust lawsuit brought by the U.S. government.

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Article Link: Apple Met With DOJ Antitrust Chief in Bid to Head Off Antitrust Lawsuit

 

[Ahmamies]

That stupid EU up to no good again. Oh, wait.

 

[scheinderrob]

they should jail tim cook until apple stops being so anticompetitive.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

This will be Cook's legacy.

 

[t0rqx]

they don't care about no anticompetitive , they want some piece of that apple treasure chest.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

APPLE SHOULD LEAVE THE USA

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

APPLE SHOULD LEAVE THE USA

The DOJ should build their own smartphone if they don't like it.

 

[ackmondual]

APPLE SHOULD LEAVE THE USA

They do have a mothership. Just wondering if it's all packed up and ready to leave!

 

[freediverx00]

I have mixed feelings about all this. We have a huge problem with a handful of oversized companies trapping users on their “platforms” and then stifling innovation and competition. But I have little faith in government bureaucrats’ ability to properly address the problem without making it worse for consumers and small competitors.

 

[tazinlwfl]

Crazy how iPhone and the ecosystem was thriving and fostering entire new economies, started out without an App Store at all, and launched with policies that have remained consistent (albeit loosened over the years) including the 30/70 revenue sharing, but NOW it’s a problem because… they were too successful in building up the platform? Now they have to tear it down and cut off a revenue stream that literally funds the development and support of a core, marketable feature of the ecosystem: the App Store? lol insane.

 

[one more]

My guess is that if the DOJ do file that lawsuit, coupled with the forthcoming EU changes, we will be a step closer to a universally more open, macOS-like iOS and iPadOS.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Crazy how iPhone and the ecosystem was thriving and fostering entire new economies, started out without an App Store at all, and launched with policies that have remained consistent (albeit loosened over the years) including the 30/70 revenue sharing, but NOW it’s a problem because… they were too successful in building up the platform? Now they have to tear it down and cut off a revenue stream that literally funds the development and support of a core, marketable feature of the ecosystem: the App Store? lol insane.

Yeah. If you completely ignore the fact that since they launched it they've introduced a whole load of services that compete directly with some of the third parties on the App Store.

 

[ohthehorror]

they don't care about no anticompetitive , they want some piece of that apple treasure chest.

You win the Internet for the least thought out post so far of 2024. Keep it up.

 

[Warped9]

I don’t see how Apple is stifling innovation and competition. They create their own hardware and software which allows their ecosystem to sync smoothly across their devices. As far as I know no other computer manufacturer does that, at least nowhere to the same extent.

If you go to a Sony store or GM or Honda dealership naturally they will favour their own products first. If you don’t like their products you go somewhere else.

Apple is not a Best Buy or Sears or any other department store known for stocking/selling all manner of different brands and products.

Seems to me there a lot of envious people who want a piece of Apple’s business and/or to play in Apple’s sandbox and think they should be able to do it wth little to no cost.

Business is competitive and to some extent cutthroat. Apple, like many others, has been successful in carving out its own niche. I don’t see Apple doing anything other companies wouldn’t do given the opportunity and/or ability.

 

[Beautyspin]

They do have a mothership. Just wondering if it's all packed up and ready to leave!

I have said it many times here. Apple has billions of dollars. It should buy an island and declare it as a sovereign nation. Then it can have the rules that it wants. No worry about DOJ and Antitrust and other such stuff.

 

[I7guy]

the DOJ has to win the suit and that’s not a guarantee. At least it’s on the record. But maybe apple should buy the US government.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

the DOJ has to win the suit and that’s not a guarantee. At least it’s on the record. But maybe apple should buy the US government.

The only guarantees are death, taxes and that Apple wants 30% of your mobile app.

 

[RHutch]

I have said it many times here. Apple has billions of dollars. It should buy an island and declare it as a sovereign nation. Then it can have the rules that it wants. No worry about DOJ and Antitrust and other such stuff.

What do you think this would accomplish? It is not simply a matter of where a company is incorporated. To do business in the United States, you have to follow the laws of the United States. Moving or having their own sovereign nation would have no benefit.

 

[Aoligei]

The court must splits Apple into there companies: A mobile Phone company, a computer company and a service Company. All there companies must not work together and must work with current Apple's competitors.

This is only way to stop Apple's monopolistic behavior.

Send on Google Pixel

 

[tazinlwfl]

Yeah. If you completely ignore the fact that since they launched it they've introduced a whole load of services that compete directly with some of the third parties on the App Store.

Some of those 3rd parties competed directly with Apple from the beginning. Competition is a good thing, and the App Store has to be self-funded. That’s literally how you avoid anti-trust problems. Every category and business Apple is in should be self-funded and is reported separately. Markets have changed, and Apple has adapted. Music, TV, even iWork/MobileMe has evolved. To suggest Apple can’t get into any market because someone already did it, or to suggest they can’t make an app because someone else already made it is ridiculous. People want Apple to make a Calculator app for the iPad, should they not because there are thousands of them already on the store?

 

[Aoligei]

I have said it many times here. Apple has billions of dollars. It should buy an island and declare it as a sovereign nation. Then it can have the rules that it wants. No worry about DOJ and Antitrust and other such stuff.

So Tom Cook can be the King and Apple fans should immigrant to the newly build nation. In there, only Apple services would allowed, you will pay 90% if your income to Apple. Only industry would be building Apple's new products, paid with minimum wage comparable to 19th century standard?

Only fruit you can eat is Apple, and only food you can eat is Apple related food (ie. Apple Pie)

 

[Aoligei]

Some of those 3rd parties competed directly with Apple from the beginning. Competition is a good thing, and the App Store has to be self-funded. That’s literally how you avoid anti-trust problems. Every category and business Apple is in should be self-funded and is reported separately. Markets have changed, and Apple has adapted. Music, TV, even iWork/MobileMe has evolved. To suggest Apple can’t get into any market because someone already did it, or to suggest they can’t make an app because someone else already made it is ridiculous. People want Apple to make a Calculator app for the iPad, should they not because there are thousands of them already on the store?

It is not problem when Apple enter into a new product category, it is problem when Apple abuse its muscle and not provide leveling play field.

When Apple charging 30% of services to theird party providers, but Apple doesn't have to pay. When third party providers can't use APIs that only Apple can. When Apple has finally say if third party services provider can or cannot using Apple store or when Apple change its course.

Apple has repeatedly showing its anti-competitive behaviors. It must be stop and splited into different smaller companies.

 

[rp100]

Apple mismanaged users’ ability to install their own software. Apple had the opportunity to chart their own course but now world governments are doing it for them. Read between the lines: like it or not, believe it or reject it, this is a last-ditch effort to bribe officials and create a settlement that is most-favorable to Apple.

 

[Mojohanna32]

I have said it many times here. Apple has billions of dollars. It should buy an island and declare it as a sovereign nation. Then it can have the rules that it wants. No worry about DOJ and Antitrust and other such stuff.

That doesn't help when you have to conduct business in countries with laws.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Some of those 3rd parties competed directly with Apple from the beginning. Competition is a good thing, and the App Store has to be self-funded. That’s literally how you avoid anti-trust problems. Every category and business Apple is in should be self-funded and is reported separately. Markets have changed, and Apple has adapted. Music, TV, even iWork/MobileMe has evolved. To suggest Apple can’t get into any market because someone already did it, or to suggest they can’t make an app because someone else already made it is ridiculous. People want Apple to make a Calculator app for the iPad, should they not because there are thousands of them already on the store?

They can get into any market they like they just shouldn't be allowed to use their platform to self preference