DOJ Sues Apple

The Satellite
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[https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/21/doj-sues-apple-over-iphone-monopoly.html](https://DOJ Sues Apple)

How can Apple have a monopoly when in the US, iPhone only has a 57.93% market share. As of 2023, Android has a 70.29% global market share. Overreach by the Justice department.

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From my understanding of monopoly, with Apple’s 57% share of US market, it is not one.
In this issue I think the courts will agree. At one time, yes Apple probably was a monopoly,
but they pretty much was with their invention of the smartphone around 2005 or so.

On the other issues of their “walled garden” approach, that’s bit more murky for me. And to
be upfront, I’ve pretty much bought into the Apple ecosystem for convenience sake. I understand
the EU is targeting Apple as well on this aspect. What’s odd here, is some consumers, such as myself, prefer this walled garden approach and is one reason we’ve bought into their system.
The merits (or perceived benefit) of that approach are open for discussion as well imho.

So the upcoming cases should be interesting to follow.

1 Like
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Same

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I think the question being levied at Apple isn’t necessarily “is it a monopoly” it’s not really 60% market share is a very strong position but it’s not a monopoly.

However a fair question to be levied is if it is engage in anti-competitive practices. Which not being a green bubble on iMessage is not an anti-competitive practice. This is going to be something that generates headlines but once they start talking the tech did and developer issues which I’m thinking is going to be where the major points are brought up it’s going to way more of a cut for insomnia.

I will say in fairness they have targeted the far, far more egregious tech offenders (Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet) first.

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Yeah, I think it’s more about the vertical integration.

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Apple’s business practices are at issue, not the fact they sell lots of phones.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/why-the-department-of-justice-is-suing-apple/ar-BB1kiKQM

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So what’s the point of the case? On a broad level, the short story is that Apple used to be wondrous. But monopoly power, as it turns out, has poisoned the firm. Once a great innovator, Apple has decayed, moving away from its roots as a competitive technology firm, and spending its resources making it harder and harder for consumers and businesses to get out of the Apple ecosystem, and then trying to extend that ecosystem from smartphones into cars, business software, and banks. Apple has become a dangerous corporation, with designs on imposing an authoritarian vision over as much of the economy as it can get away with.

In other words, the broad allegation is about how power corrupts. The complaint may be about technology, but the story here is as old as time

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So its all about the blue bubble/green bubble. lol.

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Now do Microsoft and their market share…

It reminds me all very much of the early browser issues, which was/is the average joe’s gateway to the internet.

Microsoft controlled over 80% of the market , significantly drowning out competitor products and creating an environment of unfair advantage . Courts typically conclude if a company controls at least 70% of the market within an industry that this designates a monopoly power .

https://medium.com/technology-hits/the-challenge-of-microsoft-monopolies-in-the-digital-age-1d52f1bd18d1#:~:text=Microsoft%20controlled%20over%2080%25%20of,this%20designates%20a%20monopoly%20power.

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It was mentioned this morning on Squawk Box.