US Justice Department sues Apple, alleging it illegally monopolised the smartphone market

iPhone 15 phones are shown during an announcement of new products on the Apple campus in Cupertino, California. The Justice Department announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit on March 21, 2024 against Apple, accusing the tech giant of having an illegal monopoly over smartphones in the US. — AP

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department on March 21 announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors, stifles innovation and keeps prices artificially high.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, alleges that Apple has monopoly power in the smartphone market and leverages control over the iPhone to “engage in a broad, sustained, and illegal course of conduct”.