Apple has urged a federal judge to dismiss the antitrust case brought against it by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and several states. The hearing that was held on Wednesday in New Jersey saw both parties presenting their arguments before U.S. District Court Judge Julien Xavier Neals.
Apple’s legal team claimed the government’s complaint is full of guesswork and doesn’t convincingly prove Apple dominates the smartphone market. The tech giant’s lawyer, Devora Allon, stated that the case amounts to a “judicial redesign” of the iPhone.
In response, DOJ counsel Jonathan Lasken countered that common sense should be applied when considering Apple’s market position. He pointed out the size gap between Apple and its rivals, calling out Apple’s claim that it’s pushed around by bigger players.
The antitrust lawsuit, filed earlier this year, accuses Apple of maintaining an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market, driving up prices, and locking consumers into its ecosystem. The complaint cites five examples of alleged anticompetitive conduct, including
- degrading message quality between iPhones and Android phones and
- limiting third-party smartwatch functionality with the iPhone.
Judge Neals is expected to decide by January whether the case can proceed to trial in its current form or if some or all claims should be dismissed.
With the new administration coming in, Trump’s DOJ will likely keep the lawsuit going, given his track record of taking on Big Tech. However, Trump’s win in the presidential race might be Apple’s win as well.
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