Apple case highlights difficulty of regulating IT giants

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Apple for antitrust violations. The U.S. government claims the company monopolized the smartphone market and stifled innovation across a wide range of products and services.

Apple revolutionized the information technology market with the iPhone, but in recent years it has taken a more defensive posture, and is known for locking in customers to its ecosystem of products. The lawsuit provides an opportunity to clarify where the problems are and to review competition laws, which are outdated in some respects.