Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) voiced her support for a Department of Justice antitrust case against leading technology company Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), which was announced last month.
In comments shared on social media, Warren took aim at the smartphone market segment of Apple.
What Happened: Apple is one of the largest smartphone companies in the world and in 2023 had seven of the top 10 selling smartphones globally according to a report.
According to Warren, Apple has a monopoly in the smartphone market and one of the company's key features could be ruining friendships and relationships.
"Green texts on iPhones, they're ruining relationships," Warren said in a video posted on X.
The green texts refer to the texts that come from non-Apple phones in green bubbles versus the blue bubbles displayed by iPhone users.
"Non iPhone users everywhere are being excluded from group texts."
Warren said that this means some non-Apple smartphone users are not being included in chats about vacation plans, group chats or chats with other sports fans.
"And who's to blame here? Apple."
Warren said that the green vs. blue bubble text icons are just one example of the dirty tactics used by Apple to "keep a stranglehold on the smartphone market."
"Apple has used its monopoly on the smartphone to lock Americans into services and amass billions of dollars in profits."
Warren mentioned that apps that would let Google users use iMessage and get blue texts were blocked by Apple.
"It's time to break up Apple's monopoly now."
Related Link: Apple DOJ Lawsuit Could Challenge ‘Core Business Model’: Leading Analyst Predicts What’s Next For Tech Giant
Why It's Important: The video shared by Warren was Community Noted on X, with readers providing more context.
"As of Jan 2024, iPhone has a 57% market share, to Android 42% in North America. A monopoly is exclusive control, or no close substitutes," the note reads.
In March, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit against Apple, which includes allegations that the company restricts access to iPhone hardware and software features.
A report from 9to5Mac indicates that the antitrust lawsuit now encompasses claims from non-iPhone users who feel socially stigmatized and excluded in chats with iPhone users. This issue stems from the ongoing blue vs. green bubble text debate.
AAPL Price Action: Apple shares closed at $165.00 on Friday, versus a 52-week trading range of $162.80 to $199.62.
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