Report: DOJ Could File Antitrust Suit Against Apple This Year
The US Department of Justice could reportedly join Epic Games and Tile in alleging that Apple has used the popularity of its products—especially the iPhone—to stifle competition.
Politico reports(Opens in a new window) that "Justice Department lawyers are in the early stages of drafting a potential antitrust complaint against Apple," according to "a person with direct knowledge of the matter," but it seems the DOJ hasn't decided if it actually wants to file a lawsuit against the company.
The source (along with another person "familiar with the probe" into Apple) told Politico that "the Justice Department has made no decisions whether or when to sue Apple" even though it's said to be preparing to have the lawsuit ready to be filed by the end of the year.
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Politico reports that the DOJ has focused on the App Store, which has faced increasing scrutiny around the globe because of Apple's payment restrictions, and has been "homing in on whether and how Apple’s control over its physical devices harms competitors beyond app developers."
Apple's requirement that iOS developers offering in-app purchases do so using its own payment system has been criticized by regulators in the Netherlands, India, and South Korea in the last year; lawmakers in the US and EU have also raised concerns about these restrictions.
The company has faced less criticism for the iPhone's hardware itself—at least from lawmakers. Tile has been complaining(Opens in a new window) that Apple gave the AirTag an unfair advantage in the personal tracker market since before the product was even officially announced.
Politico reports that the "DOJ is focused heavily on" Tile's complaints, which include
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