The Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple aimed at getting the tech giant to reduce entry barriers to its app store is likely to clash with the U.S. goal of preventing apps like TikTok from getting on Americans’ smartphones.
In the lawsuit, the Justice Department and attorneys general of 15 states and the District of Columbia allege that Apple Inc. violated antitrust laws by using its dominant iPhone platform to freeze out competitors and used its app store clout to keep some apps out and raise prices for consumers.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said that Apple “selectively restricts access to the points of connection between third-party apps and the iPhone’s operating system, degrading the functionality of non-Apple apps and accessories.” The goal of the lawsuit, Garland said, is not to stop Apple from vetting apps but to ensure that Apple does not engage in “exclusionary” actions that affect competitors.
