WASHINGTON, DC — In the days after the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement regarding its antitrust case against Apple, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter are earning plaudits for their bold action to restore competition and fairness in the digital economy. Read the full DOJ complaint here and The Tech Oversight Project’s statement here.
Below is a round-up of coverage and support:
State Attorneys General:
- New Jersey AG Matt Platkin defended the DOJ’s decision in MSNBC interview, criticizing Apple’s lack of investment in innovation.
- “The antitrust laws in our country and in our states ensure that consumers not be disadvantaged by exclusionary business practices like those that Apple has done. […] Ultimately the actions taken today will help consumers pay less for better products. […] Apple is paying twice as much in stock buybacks than they are in R & D, and I think that is in part because they know they have the market cornered, they are able to keep innovation from coming.”
- California AG Rob Bonta explained the DOJ’s case against Apple in a CNBC interview.
- “They are using that monopolistic position and they are using that monopolistic position to abuse their power. They’ve created a moat around their kingdom keeping customers locked in and blocking out other vendors.”
- Connecticut AG William Tong released a statement on DOJ that criticized Apple’s restrictive practices.
- “Apple is abusing its monopoly power and manipulating the smartphone market to unfairly disadvantage competing phones. Messaging between iPhones and other smartphones is deliberately degraded and made less secure by Apple. Want to quickly ‘tap-to-pay’ using a digital wallet other than Apple Wallet? No can do. Non-Apple smartwatches won’t fully sync with the iPhone, and the Apple Watch won’t sync with other smartphones. These are unfair and anticompetitive restrictions, among others, imposed by Apple to keep rivals out and prices up. Connecticut has joined the U.S. Department of Justice and 15 other attorneys general in filing this sweeping antitrust complaint to restore free and fair competition to the smartphone market and our increasingly digital economy.
- New Hampshire AG John Formella criticized Apple’s monopoly power in a local news interview.
- “Apple has used its monopoly power in smartphone markets to stifle competition… it ultimately imposes significant costs on businesses and New Hampshire consumers alike.”
- Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti released a statement on DOJ filing, criticizing Apple.
- “Apple, the most valuable company in the world, stifled competition in the smartphone market at the expense of consumers,” said Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti. “When companies win by innovating, consumers benefit. When companies win by kneecapping their competition, consumers suffer. Apple started as the ultimate innovator, and as someone who grew up on an Apple IIe and has been an iPhone user since launch, I hope the company returns to its innovative roots. In the meantime, Tennessee is proud to work with the U.S. Department of Justice and state AGs from around the country to ensure American consumers enjoy a free and functional market for smartphones.”
- Maine AG Aaron Frey released a statement on DOJ filing.
- “Apple knows that people rely on its products and we believe it used that reliance to lock in consumers and limit their options,” said Attorney General Frey. “This type of behavior violates all the principles of a competitive marketplace and ultimately hurts consumers.”
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison released a statement on DOJ’s filing against Apple.
- “Apple’s exclusionary conduct makes it hard or impossible for people to switch to lower-cost iPhone alternatives, and harder for app developers to innovate and compete. This behavior hurts consumers by making the smartphones we rely on more expensive, less useful, and less flexible. I am committed to helping Minnesotans afford their lives by taking on monopolies like the one Apple maintains. I’m proud to join with the Department of Justice and a bipartisan group of State Attorneys General in bringing this lawsuit to ensure more open competition in the smartphone market.”
- Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum released a statement on DOJ’s filing.
- “This action is about protecting consumers and the integrity of the marketplace. Big Tech companies must play by the same rules as everybody else, and Apple is no exception.”
- Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul released a statement on DOJ’s filing.
- “Wisconsin consumers shouldn’t have to pay inflated prices or have their options artificially restricted by anticompetitive conduct,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Through this case, we are seeking to ensure that consumer choice and competition aren’t inhibited by unnecessary roadblocks.”
- Vermont AG Charity Clark released a statement on DOJ’s filing.
- “Consumers and small businesses are harmed when their choices are restricted and costs artificially inflated by monopolistic companies manipulating the market,” said Attorney General Clark. “I have joined this lawsuit to hold Apple accountable for their anticompetitive practices which have harmed Vermonters and the entire industry.’”
- Arizona AG Kris Mayes released a statement on DOJ filing, called holding Apple accountable “critical.”
- “Apple has used its monopoly power to block competition, stifle innovation, and extract higher prices from consumers,” said Attorney General Mayes. “No company, even one as big as Apple, is above the law. Apple’s anticompetitive behavior has violated antitrust law and harmed consumers. Holding Apple accountable is critical to ensuring a competitive market where innovation can flourish and consumers can access a wide range of affordable products and services. Fair competition protects consumer choice and encourages innovation, leading to better products and services for everyone.”
Policymakers:
- Elizabeth Warren tweeted in support of DOJ’s actions, saying, “It’s time to break up Apple’s monopoly.” She added, “This is a new era of antitrust enforcement. Kanter is holding Big Tech accountable.”
- Amy Klobuchar tweeted in support of the DOJ’s filing, calling it a “significant and important pro-consumer action.”
- Richard Blumenthal tweeted in support of the DOJ’s filing, calling it a “historic fight.”
- Chris Murphy tweeted in support of the DOJ’s lawsuit against Apple.
- Mike Lee tweeted in support of the DOJ’s lawsuit against Apple, tying it to the Trump administration.
- CFPB Director Rohit Chopra reacted to the DOJ’s lawsuit in CNBC interview, criticizing Apple’s practices.
Public Interest Groups:
- American Economic Liberties Project called the lawsuit a “clarion call for fair markets where Big Tech companies like Apple must compete and innovate rather than building walled gardens around their businesses.” Lee Hepner, Senior Counsel for AELP added, “Following previous suits against Google, Amazon and Meta, the Biden administration’s antitrust enforcers continue to make clear that companies can no longer expect to break the law without consequence.”
- Public Knowledge’s Legal Director John Bergmayer applauded the DOJ, adding, “This lawsuit is an important step towards restoring competition and unlocking innovation in the mobile ecosystem.”
- Demand Progress commended the DOJ’s pursuit of this lawsuit, calling the decision “a testament to this dedication and a clear signal that the interests of the people and small businesses are at the forefront.”
- Public Citizen applauded the DOJ’s decision, calling the lawsuit “a significant step to rein in alleged rampant corporate misconduct.”
- Consumer Reports senior researcher Sumit Sharma applauded the DOJ’s decision, saying, “It is critical that the U.S. join regulators and competition authorities worldwide to make Apple change the way it does business.”
- PStreet released a statement of support, calling the Biden administration “the most anti-monopoly, pro-consumer administration in modern history”
- Foundation For American Innovation Senior Fellow Evan Swarztrauber criticized Tim Cook’s Shangai trip during the DOJ’s announcement.
Academics and Attorneys:
- Tim Wu supported the DOJ’s lawsuit, saying Apple “got where they are and now built a moat to prevent anyone else from getting in there. The idea is in favor of more innovation.”
- Bill Baer called the DOJ’s case “serious” adding Apple’s restrictive actions “are not justified on security or privacy bases. They are intended to profit maximize for Apple and its shareholders at the expense of the American consumer.”
- William Barr called the DOJ’s action against Apple “a good development,” adding that Big Tech firms like Apple require “rigorous antitrust scrutiny.”
- Amanda Lewis called the DOJ’s lawsuit a “welcome addition to US antitrust enforcers’ historic work to hold Big Tech monopolists to account.”
- Avery Gardiner supported the DOJ’s case in a series of tweets; says the DOJ makes it clear that Apple harms developers and creators.
Tech Leaders:
- CEO of Y Combinator Garry Tan applauded DOJ’s action against Apple, calling it a “watershed moment.”
- On Beeper Co-Founder Eric Migicovsky tweeted in support of the lawsuit, calling it “a big deal.”
Media:
- Matthew Sheffield tweeted in support of the DOJ, posting “Big kudos to Merrick Garland and the US Department of Justice for finally doing something about Apple’s anti-competitive behavior in the smartphone market.”
- Eamon Javers on MSNBC described the case as “populist,” adding that the DOJ said, “Apple is breaking the law and using its monopoly power to control access to that device. That means, for the rest of us, higher prices.”
Conservative Media and Groups:
- The Article 3 Project released a statement in support of DOJ’s lawsuit saying, “We commend Jonathan Kanter, the head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, for bringing this crucial antitrust lawsuit to break up Apple’s destructive and costly monopoly it illegally built around its iPhone.
- 14 conservative groups signed a letter in support of DOJ’s lawsuit against Apple, calling it “appropriate and necessary to ensure the company complies with federal law.”