In recent years, there have been many technology companies that have had to sit in the grand halls of Washington. The American judiciary does not trust a sector that, with each passing day, becomes more powerful.
In that sense, Apple could soon be the subject of a federal antitrust lawsuit, according to a report from The New York Times. The publication states that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is in the “final stages” of an investigation into Apple and its moves to keep customers trapped in its ecosystem.
The DOJ investigation is analyzing how Apple blocks its rivals from using iMessage, as well as the better performance of the Apple Watch when used with the iPhone compared to watches from other brands, reports the Times.
In addition, researchers are examining how Apple prevents other financial providers from using specific iPhone payment services.
Apple could be in trouble
The investigation is still ongoing as high-ranking officials from the Department of Justice are still reviewing the results of the investigation, according to sources reported by the Times.
Apple would have met “several times” with the DOJ in December, but it has not yet held a final meeting with the agency in which it will have to defend its practices. The DOJ could file its lawsuit against Apple as early as the first half of 2024.
In February of last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice was intensifying its investigation into Apple. The iPhone manufacturer has been subject to antitrust scrutiny on several occasions in the recent past, such as when it repeatedly shut down the iMessage app for Android created by Beeper at the end of last year.
Apple is not the only major tech company facing antitrust issues. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a massive antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, and Google agreed to pay 700 million dollars in December to settle antitrust allegations. Microsoft also faced scrutiny from the FTC over its agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard.
