Two iPhone antitrust class actions accuse Apple of anticompetitive practices

iPhone antitrust class action lawsuits overview: 

• Who: A pair of class action lawsuits have been filed against Apple Inc. 
• Why: Consumers claim Apple has monopolized the smartphone market with its iPhone and engaged in anticompetitive practices. 
• Where: The Apple class action lawsuits were filed in California federal court. 

A pair of iPhone antitrust class action lawsuits have been filed against Apple Inc. over claims the company has monopolized the smartphone market with its iPhone and engaged in anticompetitive practices. 

The Apple class action lawsuits argue the tech giant has essentially locked consumers into using its products — such as an iPhone or Apple Watch — and prevented competition by controlling access to the devices and their apps, programs and operating systems. 

Anti-competitive behavior cited includes “stifling competition” through contract restrictions, fees and taxes on app creation and distribution, controlling cloud streaming apps, maintaining control through messaging apps and restricting cross-platform wallets, among other things. 

“Apple has prevented its customers from leaving Apple through various technology and mechanisms, all to the detriment of both Apple’s customers and nonApple customers who use non-Apple phones,” one of the iPhone class action lawsuits says. 

iPhone antitrust lawsuits: Apple deters competition in smartphone market 

The two class action lawsuits claim Apple is aware that third-party products and services could disrupt their “dominance” in the market and, instead of lowering prices, responds to this threat by developing rules and restrictions that “thwart innovation” and “throttle” competition. 

“Apple has engaged in a course of conduct designed to deter competition in the smartphone markets in order to obtain monopoly rents and supracompetitive profits on the iPhone,” one of the iPhone class actions state.

The consumers in both cases want to represent a nationwide class and California subclass of consumers who has purchased an iPhone, an iPhone performance smartphone or an Apple Watch since March 27, 2020. 

Plaintiffs in each case demand a jury trial and declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of treble damages for themselves and all class members. 

The complaints are only the latest in a series of lawsuits that have recently been filed against Apple over claims the company engages in monopolistic behavior. 

Do you own an iPhone or an Apple Watch ? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are collectively represented by Francis A. Bottini Jr., Albert Y. Chang and Aaron P. Arnzen of Bottini & Bottini Inc.; and David S. Casey Jr., Gayle M. Blatt, Jeremy Robinson, P. Camille Guerra and Howard D. Bruno of Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP.

The iPhone antitrust class action lawsuits are Herrerias, et al. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 5:24-cv-02193, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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