DOJ v. Apple: everything you need to know

This is the DOJ’s third antitrust case against Apple in 14 years. | Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge

It’s all about Apple’s vise grip over the smartphone market and its locked-down ecosystem.

The US Department of Justice has filed a case against Apple for violating antitrust laws. More specifically, the case revolves around how Apple has used its locked-down ecosystem to build a monopoly on the iPhone.

The DOJ alleges that Apple blocks “super” apps, suppresses mobile cloud streaming services, blocks cross-platform messaging apps, limits third-party digital wallets, and even limits how well third-party smartwatches work on its platforms. This is also the third time that the DOJ has sued Apple for antitrust violations in the past 14 years.

This case is likely to have a widespread impact, and given how long the DOJ’s case against Microsoft in the ’90s lasted, it could be a while before we see a resolution.

All the news and updates about the DOJ v. Apple case continue below.