Apple responds to DOJ lawsuit, refutes every accusation

Apple responded to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit by refuting every claim.

In a statement to AppleInsider, the iPhone maker said that all the DOJ’s claims were either based on outdated information or misrepresentations of Apple’s business model.

Apple took issue with how the lawsuit defined the company’s market share. The DOJ says that Apple’s share exceeds 65 percent in the U.S. based on revenue, but Apple says it has less than half of the U.S. market based on unit sales.

The DOJ accused Apple of monopolizing the app market, placing limitations on iOS that hinder compatibility with apps and cloud stream services. Apple refuted this by saying it only selectively restricts APIs to protect user privacy and security. The iPhone maker used similar arguments elsewhere, such as for why it limits third-party digital wallets.

Apple also refuted the DOJ accusation that it blocked super apps, pointing to Facebook, WeChat and Line, all of which are available for iOS users.

The company also said always welcomed game-streaming services in the App Store, though it’s worth noting this doesn’t acknowledge how restrictive Apple’s rules were until recently. While game streaming was allowed, we learned during the Epic Games v. Apple trial that the company restricted services that offered a catalogue of games, requiring each title to be individually reviewed and to be subject to its up to 30 percent fee. Apple changed those rules earlier this year, dropping the requirements.

Speaking of Apple’s 30 percent commission, the company said that 85 percent of developers don’t pay any commission, and most developers are eligible for the company’s reduced 15 percent commission.

Apple also denied that it was making it more difficult for users to switch to competing products, whether through iMessage or other reasons. The company reportedly said that people might not be switching because they love Apple’s products.

Source: AppleInsider Via: Engadget