WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rick VanMeter, executive director for The Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and 16 attorneys general filed an antitrust complaint against Apple, accusing the company of violating antitrust law by illegally monopolizing smartphone markets.
“With today’s announcement, the Department of Justice is taking a strong stand against Apple’s stranglehold over the mobile app ecosystem, which stifles competition and hurts American consumers and developers alike. The DOJ complaint details Apple’s long history of illegal conduct – abusing their App Store guidelines and developer agreements to increase prices, extract exorbitant fees, degrade user experiences, and choke off competition. The DOJ joins regulators around the world, who have recognized the many harms of Apple’s abusive behavior and are working to address it. As this case unfolds in the coming years more must be done now to end the anticompetitive practices of all mobile app gatekeepers. It remains imperative that Congress pass bipartisan legislation, like the Open App Markets Act, to create a free and open mobile app marketplace.”