Overview

• On July 29, Apple filed its formal answer to the Justice Department’s March 2024 antitrust complaint, rejecting claims of a smartphone monopoly.
• The company disputes the DOJ’s five focal points—super apps, cloud streaming games, third-party messaging, smartwatches, and digital wallets—as mischaracterizations of its policies.
• Apple argues its app guidelines and hardware controls are designed to protect user privacy and security without stifling competition.
• The filing asserts that the lawsuit, if upheld, would reduce consumer choice and set a dangerous precedent for government-mandated technology design.
• With its answer submitted, the case advances into the discovery phase, initiating evidence exchanges in what is expected to be years-long litigation.