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Supreme Court: Apple is a Monopoly ?!?!?

A post of a ranting nature...

wordwarrior

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So apparently a company with roughly 15% market share for smartphones and takes a 30% cut of all sales is a monopoly:

Apple insists App Store 'not a monopoly,' expects to win in court

By this logic, Amazon, with an 83% market share for eBooks and that takes a 70% cut of revenues outside a narrow price band ($2.99 to $9.99) somehow isn't, and isn't forced to open up its platform to competitors.

This makes no sense.
 
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Ninjakid

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Buddy Guy Eh
Well while we're at it

Barbie has a monopoly on Barbie dolls

YouTube has a monopoly on YouTubers

Nintendo has a monopoly on Pokemon

Spotify has a monopoly on their music.

I guess when you create something and own the rights to it, that's a monopoly.
 

The Abundant Man

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Well while we're at it

Barbie has a monopoly on Barbie dolls

YouTube has a monopoly on YouTubers

Nintendo has a monopoly on Pokemon

Spotify has a monopoly on their music.

I guess when you create something and own the rights to it, that's a monopoly.
Barbie and Pokemon are IP's. They're not companies.

Barbie does have GI Joe.

Youtube does have Facebook video, Vimeo etc...

Pokemon does have Digimon. Nintendo currently has Sony(Playstation) and Microsoft(Xbox).

Spotify does have Apple music, Pandora Radio etc...
 

Ninjakid

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Barbie and Pokemon are IP's. They're not companies.

Barbie does have GI Joe.

Youtube does have Facebook video, Vimeo etc...

Pokemon does have Digimon. Nintendo currently has Sony(Playstation) and Microsoft(Xbox).

Spotify does have Apple music, Pandora Radio etc...

You're not following.

I'm not talking about competitors, App Store's competitor is the Google Play Store.

App Store was created by Apple. The market place is theirs. YouTubers make money on their revenue, but it all goes through Google. Does that mean Google has an illegal monopoly on YouTubers' careers?
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Today's ruling was just allowing the anti-trust complaint to move forward.

It doesn't affirm that a monopoly exists.

The real fight / proceedings to the matter hasn't begun.
 

MTEE1985

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Dumb question...if they have a monopoly than what’s the basis for “non competitive pricing”?

The suit alleges overcharging but you can only assert if that if there is a comparable product available elsewhere in which case...not a monopoly.

I have a hard time seeing Apple losing this not just because of the past precedents set that favor them but we’re talking about the App Store here, not electricity or oil or some other necessity. Dont like it? Don’t buy an iPhone or don’t buy the damn app if you don’t like what they’re charging.

To me this is like me buying a McLaren and then claiming abuse of power when I can only get it serviced by McLaren and not at Jiffy Lube prices.

For that matter, I choose to be on the FLF but there is no competitive marketplace for INSIDERS subscriptions. Does that mean MJ has a monopoly and that he’s anti-competitive because he can charge what he wants? Of course not. People make purchases based on the perceived value to them. Simple economics.

The most laughable part is the threat of “hundreds of millions” in fines. That’d be like somebody fining me $10 and asking if I learned my lesson and was going to play nice.
 
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wordwarrior

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To me this is like me buying a McLaren and then claiming abuse of power when I can only get it serviced by McLaren and not at Jiffy Lube prices.

MJ's point about the ruling being merely a prelude to the actual lawsuit notwithstanding, there's an even better analogy I can use.

All cars nowadays are computers on wheels. Ford cars, for instance, come loaded only with Ford's operating system and Ford's apps, both media and related to core functionality, such as brakes. Nobody's going after Ford for having a monopoly over its cars' software.
 
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TheCj

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MJ's point about the ruling being merely a prelude to the actual lawsuit notwithstanding, there's an even better analogy I can use.

All cars nowadays are computers on wheels. Ford cars, for instance, come loaded only with Ford's operating system and Ford's apps, both media and related to core functionality, such as brakes. Nobody's going after Ford for having a monopoly over its cars' software.

Interesting bring up car company, I believe Tesla is under scrutiny for not allowing access to parts, diagnostic equipment and service manuals to third parties. So the only people that can repair a Tesla is Tesla. Which is leading to major time delay's in repair scheduling and of course they set a price accordingly. Also there are issues even if when a third party attempts a repair, since everything is connected to the computer and the computer communicates with Tesla.

One thing I notice that smartphones have really led the way, Is that we are only buying a smartphone to get access to either google, android platform or the internet. Where as in the past you owned the software as a separate individual entity. Applies to music, movies, computer software you only have access if maintain the streaming service, or monthly membership.

So the older mentality was i bought something and actually own it, and can do what i want with said item. Now it is more I am buying the right to use this item and access the available platform. Don't own anything.
 

StrikingViper69

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So apparently a company with roughly 15% market share for smartphones and takes a 30% cut of all sales is a monopoly:

Apple insists App Store 'not a monopoly,' expects to win in court

By this logic, Amazon, with an 83% market share for eBooks and that takes a 70% cut of revenues outside a narrow price band ($2.99 to $9.99) somehow isn't, and isn't forced to open up its platform to competitors.

This makes no sense.

The anti-trust laws don't exist to protect "consumers" from "monopolies", they exist to punish companies for being successful, at whim of some pencil pusher. It's a way for government to "justify" taking action against any company they want to.

Ironically, monopolies can only exist with government intervention in the economy.
 

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