"Excessive prices"

Monopolization of the iPhone: US indictment against Apple

If no action is taken against the company, "Apple will only continue to expand its smartphone monopoly", according to the US Attorney General's Office.

(Bild: AFP)

As expected, the US Attorney General's Office filed a far-reaching indictment against Apple on Thursday for alleged illegal monopolization of the iPhone. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who is also the country's chief prosecutor, filed the complaint with a federal court in the state of New Jersey, his department announced. Apple rejected the allegations.

The lawsuit accuses Apple of suppressing competition and charging consumers excessive prices. If no action is taken against the company, "Apple will only continue to expand its smartphone monopoly", explained Garland. The company also exploits its strong market position to obtain additional money from software developers, content providers or smaller companies.

Apple rejected the accusations of the US authorities. "If the lawsuit succeeds, it would hinder our ability to develop the kind of technology people expect from Apple - where hardware, software and services complement each other.

Investigations also in the EU
In other regions of the world, the authorities are also scrutinizing the company's business practices. In Europe, Apple must allow software developers to sell their products directly due to stricter regulation. Until now, they have been forced to use the App Store, where Apple collects commissions of up to 30 percent.

The company has also been at loggerheads with video game developer Epic Games for some time. Although the "Fortnite" maker lost a lawsuit in the USA regarding the billing of purchases via the App Store, the European Union has now also become involved in the dispute.

Other complaints revolve around access to certain iPhone hardware components that are used for contactless payment, for example. Apple has so far justified its restrictive stance with data protection and security concerns.