re: #194 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

Here’s what Google’s AI tells me:

As of January 2024, Apple, the US phone maker, had a 29.27% market share of the global smartphone market, meaning that almost three in 10 smartphone users use an Apple phone. Apple’s iOS has a 29.2% market share while Android has a 70.1% market share

Yet this is what the the NPR article says:

Apple, one of the world’s richest companies, is now under fire from the U.S. government. The Department of Justice and 16 states filed a lawsuit against the Silicon Valley giant on Thursday, accusing the company of abusing its power as a monopoly to edge out rivals and ensure customers keep using its products.

The heart of the lawsuit centers around claims that Apple stopped smaller companies from accessing the hardware and software in its iPhones, which led to fewer options for customers.

Apple is worth nearly $3 trillion, making it one of the highest valued companies in the world. And its iPhone is one of the most popular phones on earth, dominating the global market, according to market analyst firm IDC. The Justice Department alleges it’s by no coincidence that Apple was able to ensure its place at the top.

If the rival has 2.5x of the market compared to the iPhone, how is the iPhone a monopoly?

The real point, as suggested by NPR’s word, is simply that Apple is the biggest whale in the sea and thus is the target for such actions.