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The Department of Justice's (DOJ) civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple, filed on March 21, 2024, continues to gather momentum with recent developments involving additional state participants and ongoing legal preparations.

### Additional States Join the Lawsuit

As of June 11, 2024, the attorneys general of Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington have joined the lawsuit, bringing the total number of state co-plaintiffs to nineteen, along with the District of Columbia and the DOJ. This coalition aims to "restore competition in the smartphone markets that Apple has monopolized," according to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division[2][5].

### DOJ's Allegations

The DOJ alleges that Apple has maintained its monopoly power in the smartphone market by violating federal antitrust law, specifically Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The lawsuit claims that Apple has used contractual rules and restrictions to extract higher prices from consumers, impose higher fees on developers and creators, and throttle competitive alternatives from rival technologies. These tactics include blocking innovative "super" apps, suppressing mobile cloud streaming services, excluding cross-platform messaging apps, diminishing the functionality of non-Apple smartwatches, and limiting third-party digital wallets[4][5].

### Apple's Response

Apple has responded to the lawsuit, stating that it threatens the principles that help its products stand out. The company believes the lawsuit is "wrong on the facts and the law" and will vigorously defend against it. Apple argues that if the lawsuit is successful, it would hinder their ability to create integrated technology where hardware, software, and services intersect, and set a dangerous precedent for government intervention in technology design[5].

### Legal Proceedings and Projections

The lawsuit is currently pending in a federal court in New Jersey, and a judge has not yet been assigned to the case. Given the complexity and the number of parties involved, the lawsuit is expected to take multiple years to resolve. Apple is anticipated to hire hundreds of lawyers to defend its position[4].

### Ramifications and Broader Impact

This lawsuit is part of the Biden Administration’s broader effort to regulate big tech companies. The case draws parallels with the DOJ's historic antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in 1998, where Microsoft was found guilty of violating antitrust laws by restricting the use of other web browsers and media players on its Windows operating systems. If the DOJ prevails, it could significantly impact Apple's business practices and the overall smartphone market, potentially leading to increased competition and lower prices for consumers[4].

In summary, the DOJ's lawsuit against Apple remains a high-stakes battle with significant implications for the tech industry. As more states join the lawsuit and legal preparations continue, both sides are gearing up for a lengthy and contentious legal fight.