Attorney General Ellison with DOJ and bipartisan coalition of State AGs defeat Apple’s motion to dismiss anti-trust lawsuit

Lawsuit accusing Apple of anticompetitive, anti-consumer behavior allowed to move forward

Apple had attempted to avoid answering claims that it maintains its smartphone dominance by making it harder for consumers to leave the iPhone ecosystem

July 3, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Attorney General Ellison, along with a bipartisan coalition of 19 other Attorneys General and the U.S. Department of Justice, successfully defeated every aspect of a motion to dismiss filed by Apple in response to the coalition’s anti-trust lawsuit against Apple. The lawsuit, filed on March 21, 2024, accused Apple of harming consumers and competition by making it difficult or impossible to leave the iPhone ecosystem, rather than striving to make iPhones more attractive than other smartphones.  This behavior has made smartphones and their accessories, such as smartwatches, more expensive for consumers, quashed innovation in the industry, and made both iPhones and other smartphones less versatile and adaptable to the needs of consumers.

In a decision issued on Monday, June 30, the Court allowed every aspect of the coalition’s lawsuit to go forward.  As part of this decision, the Court reaffirmed that State Attorney General offices, independent of the Federal Government, have standing to sue companies that engage in anticompetitive conduct harming the general economic wellbeing of a State and its citizens. 

The Court also found that the facts alleged in the lawsuit support the coalition’s argument that Apple engaged in anticompetitive behavior with intent to monopolize and a serious likelihood of doing so. When making this determination, the Court pointed to several quotes from Apple executives referenced in the coalition’s lawsuit, including one from an Apple executive who argued against making text messages work better between iPhones and Android devices because that “would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones.” The Court found that this quote and others like it were sufficient to demonstrate Apple’s specific intent to monopolize the smartphone market.

“Smartphones are an essential part of modern life, but Apple’s conduct has entrenched the iPhone’s dominance at the cost of making all smartphones more expensive, less versatile, and less useful,” said Attorney General Ellison. “This has been great for Apple’s bottom line, but bad for everyone else.  I’m proud of the work this coalition has done in getting this ruling, and I look forward to holding Apple accountable for their anticompetitive conduct in court.”

Attorney General Ellison encourages Minnesota consumers and businesses who wish to report concerns about anticompetitive business practices to submit a report online via the Antitrust Report Form. Minnesotans can also call the Attorney General’s Office at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area), (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or (800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay).