The New York Times reportedThe U.S. Department of Justice plans to launch a comprehensive antitrust lawsuit against Apple in the first half of this year.
The report said that the U.S. Department of Justice has begun the final stage of its investigation to clarify Apple's hardware and software services.Whether it seriously affects market competition, which includes the design of the Apple Watch being closely connected to the iPhone, and the iMessage service being unable to be used on Android phones, may lead the US Department of Justice to determine that Apple is affecting fair competition in the market.
During the investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice appears to have held talks with Beeper, which created an iMessage service that allows Android phones to use the service, and Tile, which launched a number of Bluetooth location tracking accessories before the advent of AirTag. In addition, regarding Apple's restriction on others using the iPhone's built-in NFC to create contactless payment services, the Department of Justice has held dialogues with several banks and payment service providers to understand whether Apple's related practices constitute a market monopoly.
Even Meta, during discussions with the US Department of Justice, "suggested" an investigation into Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency privacy tool, claiming that this feature, which allows users to limit advertisers' collection of personal information, could reduce Apple's revenue by at least $2022 billion in 100. Regarding Apple's previous practice of taking a cut of in-app purchases, the US Department of Justice also consulted with companies that have previously clashed with Apple, including Spotify, Epic Games, and Match Group.
As it stands, Apple is likely to be found by the U.S. Department of Justice to have violated market monopoly, and may therefore face adjustments to the design and operating practices of its products and services.
However, Apple may face antitrust charges this year. Companies including Google, Amazon, and Meta are also likely to face antitrust lawsuits regarding their services and products. In Europe, the EU is also designating large tech companies as "gatekeepers" under its Digital Markets Directive, which is expected to have a significant impact.
