Is the iPhone "Illegal?"
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Apple's Walled Garden and the US DOJ Monopoly Lawsuit
Understand how Apple integrates hardware and software to create an ecosystem that courts now view as an illegal monopoly, and see how this contrasts with open markets like China.
Short Summary
- The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Apple, alleging illegal monopoly practices centered on the iPhone's ecosystem.
- Apple builds "walls" around its ecosystem using tight integration (e.g., Apple Watch, iMessage) that locks users in, making switching difficult.
- The lack of competition due to these barriers, particularly in the US market share, is the core legal concern, potentially forcing lower walls.
This discussion unpacks the DOJ's claims regarding integration tactics like proprietary accessory function and iMessage lock-in, using the "Walled Garden" analogy. Analyzing market share differences, especially between the US and international markets, helps clarify why Apple faces monopoly scrutiny specifically in the US.
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Top Comments (10)
The weirdest thing is that a load of USA citizens seem to think you're poor if you don't have a iphone. It's such a weird take, however it shows how good you can market to the usa to fleece them from their money.
Speaking as an Australian living in a 50/50 iPhone-Android marketshare, nobody really cares about any of the "features" of iMessage. To us it's just "the text message app".
I'm from India and once I had to explain to my iPhone user friends what iMessage and FaceTime are. They literally had no idea about these features. Literally, nobody cares about iMessage in India.
From an european persoective this whole blue bubble green bubble discussion is so funny to me. I live in Switzerland and everybody just uses Whatsapp. I‘ve never even used imessage. Most people I know that use an iphone just use it because i‘ts easier or they like the design or ios.
2 reasons why it's not a monopoly outside US: 1. Whatsapp 2. Price An iPhone in the US costs less than 1 month of minimum salary, while in countries like Brazil, it costs around 5-10 months salaries.
All 3 of my kids have iPhones and the wife and I have a S24 Ultra and Pixel Fold. My oldest said that people that don't have iPhones don't have money. Mind you, this is coming from a teenager without a job and a free phone. I immediately told the kids that the phones they have now will be the last iPhones they will ever have unless they buy new ones themselves.
the fact that USA citizen can't download a single chat app and keep saying blue bubble vs green bubble, blows my mind you download all your other apps, whats so different of downloading another chat app that is more universal for everyone else
I bought my brother an android for Christmas and he cried. He was 15. Luckily, I included the gift receipt and he returned it for a two year old used iPhone. It blew my mind.
Choosing a phone based on the messaging app is like buying a car based on the way the horn sounds
Ironically, the "walled garden" is the reason I will never buy an Apple product...
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Top Comments (10)
The weirdest thing is that a load of USA citizens seem to think you're poor if you don't have a iphone. It's such a weird take, however it shows how good you can market to the usa to fleece them from their money.
Speaking as an Australian living in a 50/50 iPhone-Android marketshare, nobody really cares about any of the "features" of iMessage. To us it's just "the text message app".
I'm from India and once I had to explain to my iPhone user friends what iMessage and FaceTime are. They literally had no idea about these features. Literally, nobody cares about iMessage in India.
From an european persoective this whole blue bubble green bubble discussion is so funny to me. I live in Switzerland and everybody just uses Whatsapp. I‘ve never even used imessage. Most people I know that use an iphone just use it because i‘ts easier or they like the design or ios.
2 reasons why it's not a monopoly outside US: 1. Whatsapp 2. Price An iPhone in the US costs less than 1 month of minimum salary, while in countries like Brazil, it costs around 5-10 months salaries.
All 3 of my kids have iPhones and the wife and I have a S24 Ultra and Pixel Fold. My oldest said that people that don't have iPhones don't have money. Mind you, this is coming from a teenager without a job and a free phone. I immediately told the kids that the phones they have now will be the last iPhones they will ever have unless they buy new ones themselves.
the fact that USA citizen can't download a single chat app and keep saying blue bubble vs green bubble, blows my mind you download all your other apps, whats so different of downloading another chat app that is more universal for everyone else
I bought my brother an android for Christmas and he cried. He was 15. Luckily, I included the gift receipt and he returned it for a two year old used iPhone. It blew my mind.
Choosing a phone based on the messaging app is like buying a car based on the way the horn sounds
Ironically, the "walled garden" is the reason I will never buy an Apple product...