DOJ escalates antitrust probe into Apple's alleged anticompetitive practices

This keeps coming up, so I'll post this thought again.

The point of consumer choice occurs at the selection of device and OS platform. Many people choose Apple and iOS because of the closed App Store system. It provides much greater security and consistency for consumers than the other options. Forcing Apple to be more like Android by allowing side-loading and alternate App Stores will reduce consumer choice by eliminating an option that currently exists when purchasing a smartphone. Many app developers -including those who are currently available through the App Store- would choose the easier path of avoiding the privacy and security requirements of the Apple App Store and will only make their wares available via less stringent app stores or via direct side-loading. These developers want to be on iPhone and they're jumping through the hoops now, but if they don't have to, they won't when they're given the option not to. This will reduce consumer choice, not increase it.

Apple doesn’t make the most phones so how can it be anticompetitive when there’s other choices? 

DOJ: What!... there's something that's not broken?  Let's fix it

rob53 said:

Apple doesn’t make the most phones so how can it be anticompetitive when there’s other choices? 

Yeah, they’re always being accused of being a monopoly as if people have no choice but to buy Apple products. The argument that Apple operates a monopoly on its own platform is about as screwball as it gets. If you don’t like Apple’s business practices buy a PC and an Android phone, right? Apple neither dominates nor controls ANY market that I can see. The old AT&T was a real monopoly. If you wanted telephone service you got it from Ma Bell, period, no other choice.

lkrupp said:

rob53 said:

Apple doesn’t make the most phones so how can it be anticompetitive when there’s other choices? 

Yeah, they’re always being accused of being a monopoly as if people have no choice but to buy Apple products. The argument that Apple operates a monopoly on its own platform is about as screwball as it gets. If you don’t like Apple’s business practices buy a PC and an Android phone, right? Apple neither dominates nor controls ANY market that I can see. The old AT&T was a real monopoly. If you wanted telephone service you got it from Ma Bell, period, no other choice.

Exactly! Of course we just need to follow the money to see who's buying off politicians to understand what's going on. Microsoft got a hand slap years ago and they're still operating as a monopoly but because the US government can only seem to use Windows PCs they're not going to go after Microsoft. 

Yes, I know some Macs along with iPhones are used by government officials and employees but Microsoft still gets tons of money from client licenses.