Four States Join Expanded Antitrust Suit Against Apple

The Attorneys General of Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington have joined the ongoing civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple.

This lawsuit, originally filed by the Justice Department along with 15 states and the District of Columbia in March, accuses Apple of monopolizing various smartphone markets in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The amended complaint, now supported by 20 co-plaintiffs, was filed in the District of New Jersey.

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division expressed enthusiasm about the expanded coalition.

“We welcome the States of Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada and Washington, who join our existing coalition to restore competition in the smartphone markets that Apple has monopolized,” Kanter stated.

“We look forward to litigating this important case alongside our state partners to deliver the benefits of competition to consumers, app developers, accessory makers and the American public.”

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The lawsuit alleges that Apple “illegally maintains a monopoly over smartphones by selectively imposing contractual restrictions on, and withholding critical access points from, developers.”

These practices, according to the Justice Department, hinder the development of apps, products, and services that could lessen consumer dependence on the iPhone or reduce costs for both consumers and developers.

As the case advances in the District of New Jersey, the expanded coalition aims to challenge Apple’s market dominance and foster a more competitive environment.