DOJ sues tech giant Apple
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The government is going after tech giant Apple.
The Justice Department just announced a lawsuit against the company accusing them of having a monopoly in the smartphone market.
The landmark antitrust case accuses Apple of illegal behavior that hurts both their competitors and consumers.
The Department of Justice and 16 states say Apple is breaking federal law.
“Apple has maintained its power not because of its superiority, because of its unlawful exclusionary behavior,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Attorney General Merrick Garland argues Apple manipulates technology to undermine competitors and he says that crushes innovation and allows Apple to juice iPhone buyers for more money.
"Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies break the law,” said Garland.
Apple calls the lawsuit wrong on the facts and the law and NetChoice Attorney Carl Szabo agrees.
“It's not about protecting consumers. It's advancing the power and weaponization of antitrust law by the government against businesses that they may not like,” said Szabo.
Garland says the lawsuit aims to create a more free and fair tech marketplace.
"Enforcing the law protects consumers from higher prices and fewer choices. That is the Justice Department's legal obligation,” he said.
Szabo believes the DOJ’s lawsuit could hurt innovation, damaging what makes iPhones so popular.
“It wants the dumbest of phones for all of us and says somehow that that is pro-consumer when it is anything but,” Szabo added.
This is just the latest antitrust attack from the Biden administration, they are also suing Google and Amazon over monopoly allegations.
This lawsuit is likely to drag on for years, Apple is already promising to fight it.