Does Apple use its hardware/software control to hamper switching and competing?
The Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice is in the "late stages" of its investigation into Apple Inc.'s methods of protecting iPhone's dominance, according to three sources who spoke to New York Times reporters David McCabe and Tripp Mickle. "The agency is focused on how Apple has used its control over its hardware and software to make it more difficult for consumers to ditch the company's devices, as well as for rivals to compete ... Specifically, investigators have examined how the Apple Watch works better with the iPhone than with other brands, as well as how Apple locks competitors out of its iMessage service. They have also scrutinized Apple's payments system for the iPhone, which blocks other financial firms from offering similar services ...," the reporters wrote.
Read prior commentary regarding Apple from MoginRubin:
Apple Smartwatch Antitrust Case Survives, Showing 'Freedom of Design' is Not Absolute by Jonathan Rubin
Apple's Constraints on App Store Payment Methods Violate California Antitrust Laws, Judge Rules by Jonathan Rubin
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