NYT: US Justice Department conducts antitrust investigation into Apple

The US Department of Justice is currently conducting an antitrust investigation into Apple. The DOJ would like to determine whether Apple hinders competition from other companies and makes it more difficult for consumers to switch to competitors’ services.

The US Department focuses according to The New York Times on at least three pillars: the Apple Watch, iMessage and payment systems. The DOJ would like to determine why the Apple Watch works ‘better’ with an iPhone than with an Android smartphone. The ministry would also wonder why Apple shields its iMessage service from competitors and why the company does not allow other payment systems on its platforms other than its own payment service, Apple Pay.

According to sources, the investigation is already well advanced, but no decision has yet been made regarding a possible follow-up. The New York Times believes that the DOJ could sue Apple for antitrust practices, but that has not yet been decided, according to the newspaper. Both the ministry and Apple are also said to be in mutual consultation.

At the end of last year, it was announced that the US Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice had opened an investigation into Apple’s possible obstruction of Beeper. Thanks to Beeper, Android users could also send messages via iMessage. Beeper made the news in early December for making iMessage possible for Android devices, but Apple took measures that meant the service could no longer work properly without an Apple ID.

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