US Department of Justice files antitrust lawsuit against Apple

The US Department of Justice, alongside 16 state attorneys general, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging unlawful monopolistic practices in the smartphone market. A key component of the suit involves Apple’s control over app distribution and creation. The DOJ claims Apple prevents developers from using web apps as a viable alternative to native apps by requiring all iPhone browsers to use Apple’s proprietary WebKit engine.

In a related legal development, the DOJ is challenging a court decision that allows Apple to seek documents from 14 federal agencies, including the CIA, FBI, and Department of Defense. Apple seeks these documents to argue that the federal government chooses its products for privacy features, which could provide a legitimate justification for its business practices. The DOJ has asked special discovery master Jose Linares to reconsider, arguing that the requests impose an undue burden on the agencies and that the legal standard for discovery was applied incorrectly.