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Comment by Workaccount2 | Hacker News Reader

The problem isn't the messaging service, the problem is the artificial hardware requirement in order to use it. Second would be the inability to make another app the primary/default once you have said hardware.

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That’s not what antitrust is about. Functionally speaking, you would not be able to prove there’s economic harm. Apple’s share of smartphone does not even compare to MSFT’s share of PC back in 90/00s.

Anti-trust law has gone through a variety of interpretations over the long history of its existence, and I think your characterization of it is incorrect, even under today's recent interpretations.

This suit seems to follow the interpretation of: "it is bad if consumers are being harmed in some way". Having a monopoly position via market share is not a necessary condition for that to happen.

How were consumers harmed from iMessage? Apple doesn’t stop people from downloading Whatsapp and hundreds of other communication apps. The only semi-valid argument they have is the app store. And even that is 10-20% chance considering Apple’s market share. Even though this is DoJ, this is all a part of Lina Khan’s naive crusade against NATURAL monopolies. Just because she doesn’t understand economics and how the real world operates in 2024.

I am a consumer that was harmed just this week because I wasn't added to a group chat of only iPhone users because I have an Android device.

Doesn't really seem like a platform issue per se since your friends could have easily included you just fine, but chose not to.

No they couldn't. As soon as they add me, they can no longer remove or add people to a group chat.

It sounds like "I am a car enthusiast who was harmed this week because I wasn't invited to join a Ferrari owners' club since I drive a Lamborghini."

People excluding people is the problem. Not the product.

As soon as my friends add me, they can no longer remove or add people to a group chat? How is that not consumer harm?

Sounds like you need new colleagues. Why would you wish to be part of such a snobbish group? I fail to see why anti-trust law should be brought to bear on issues concerning teen fads. How about wearing the right kind of sneakers? Branded purses, handbags? Parkas? Should uniformity reign universal across all consumer products lest someone, somewhere be excluded to a faddish distinction?

It's not snobby. It's a recognition of the ridiculous walls that Apple puts up around their garden.

This is not one group. This is every single group of American iPhone users. Try to get off iMessenger if you want to see it for yourself.

No it isn't. Nearly all of my group chats are mixed iPhone/Android skewing towards iPhone. We use Facebook Messenger

Blame your friends, I am in plenty of mixed group chats to no issue.

As a European living in the US, I've found that it's nearly impossible to get on American's group chats without an iPhone. Hence I've had to shift my friend groups to be mostly other foreigners.

The Americans all say that to get in, you need an iPhone. So definitely a smart monopolistic strategy from Apple.

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