Connecticut is teaming up with 15 other states and territories in a lawsuit, accusing Apple using the iPhone to stifle competition and squeeze money from customers.
The lawsuit, which also includes Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Vermont, claims Apple prevents competitors' products from working with the iPhone and that the company’s practices make it difficult for consumers to switch to another smartphone.
“Apple isn’t just the victim of its own success, it is part of its corporate program and strategy to kill competition,” Attorney General William Tong said during a press conference Thursday in Hartford.
Apple issued a statement denying claims that it employs anti-competitive practices, saying it’s success is because of its effort to “innovate every day to make technology people love.”
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Apple raked in $97 billion in profits in fiscal year 2023 and just over half of smartphones sold in North America are iPhones.
The company said that’s, in part, because users like the fact that Apple products connect easily to the iPhone.
“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” Apple said in the statement.
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Tong says that’s one of the ways Apple keeps customers “locked in.”
The lawsuit claims the company violates anti-trust law by preventing many competitors’ accessories, including smart watches, from being able to sink with the iPhone’s operating system.
Apple also blocks so-called “Super Apps” that allow users to complete a range of tasks – like messaging and taking photos – in one application.
The lawsuit also points to Apple’s refusal to allow third-party wallet apps, forcing users to rely on Apple Pay if they want to use their smartphone for cardless payment systems.
“I don’t think I have to tell anybody how dominant Apple is in our lives,” Tong said.
The anti-trust is the latest state-led action Tong has joined targeted technology giants.
Just last year, Connecticut was among 40 states reached a $391.5-million settlement over how Google uses location data.
And Tong joined a suit claiming Meta has allowed Facebook and Instagram to become harmful to children's mental health.
