Apple Sued by Justice Department for Limiting Android Texting Functionality in Green Bubble Issue

New York, United States United States of America
Apple is being sued by the Justice Department for afflicting Android smartphone users with a 'green bubble' in text messages.
The green bubble status is part of a social stigma, exclusion and blame as it limits functionality for Android to iPhones texting.
Apple Sued by Justice Department for Limiting Android Texting Functionality in Green Bubble Issue

Apple is being sued by the Justice Department for afflicting Android smartphone users with a 'green bubble' in text messages, which has been mocked online and some women find men who own Androids less attractive. Non-iPhone users also experience social stigma when chatting with iPhone owners. The lawsuit claims that the green bubble status is part of a 'social stigma,' exclusion, and blame as it limits functionality for Android to iPhones texting.

The notorious issue was heavily featured in an antitrust complaint filed by the DOJ and 16 state attorneys general in New Jersey federal court. The lawsuit highlighted one notable exchange from Vox Media's Code Conference in 2022, when an attendee asked Tim Cook to fix Android-to-iPhone texting because they couldnt send their mom certain videos.

Apple shares fell more than 4% on Thursday after the DOJ announced its lawsuit. The plunge erased the equivalent of $113 billion from Apple's valuation in a single trading day, according to Bloomberg.

The company controls more than 70% of the performance smartphone market by revenue, according to the lawsuit. Android users appear as ,green bubbles- in texts to iPhones. DifferenceBetween.net



Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It's not clear if the lawsuit will be successful in changing Apple's policies.

Sources

74%

  • Unique Points
    • Apple uses smartwatches to prevent iPhone customers from choosing other phones.
    • Google Wallet on iOS is blocked by Apple's control of the iOS environment.
    • iMessage as a means of locking people into iOS and placing arbitrary limits on its functionality.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article discusses the potential outcomes of a US v. Apple case that could affect Android in various ways. The author provides examples such as Apple Watch on Android, Google Wallet on iOS and full iMessage interoperability which are all deceptive practices by Apple to keep its users trapped within their ecosystem.
    • Apple using iMessage as a means of locking people into iOS is hardly a new idea, so I won't spend much time on it. But the DOJ argues just that: per the suit, Apple places arbitrary limits on iMessage functionality to make moving from iOS to another platform less appealing and more difficult.
    • Digital wallets that work across smartphone platforms allow users to move from one smartphone brand to another with decreased frictions, among other things. The Department of Justice argues that Apple using its control of the iOS environment to block third-party contactless payments platforms is another way the company keeps its users stuck inside the walled garden.
    • Apple uses smartwatches, a costly accessory, to prevent iPhone customers from choosing other phones. The DOJ's suit alleges that the Apple Watch's iOS exclusivity can functionally trap users in the iOS ecosystem because switching requires abandoning their costly Apple Watch and purchasing a new Android-compatible smartwatch.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (85%)
    The article discusses the US Department of Justice's lawsuit against Apple for creating an unfair monopoly in the smartphone market. The author mentions that Google is not on trial but that the suit is relevant to Android as it predicates largely on Apple making it hard for its customers to switch to a phone made by other companies like Samsung or OnePlus. The article discusses several potential outcomes of the US v. Apple case, including 1) Apple Watch compatibility with Android, 2) Google Wallet integration with iOS devices, 3) Full iMessage interoperability on both platforms and lower Play Store fees for developers making Android apps.
    • Apple uses smartwatches
      • Full iMessage interoperability
        • Google Wallet
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        62%

        • Unique Points
          • The DOJ has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, claiming the company abused its monopoly power to throttle competition among smartphone manufacturers.
          • Iconic tech journalist Walt Mossberg called the DOJ's claim of an Apple monopoly 'laughable'.
          • Mossberg wrote that the suit punishes Apple for not having a business model like that of its competitors.
          • The crux of the lawsuit seems to be about Apple's philosophy of building products and services, and punishing the company for not having a business model like that of its competitors.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (50%)
          The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that the DOJ's claim of an Apple monopoly is laughable when there are clear indications that Apple has a dominant market share in smartphones globally and even more so in the US. Secondly, Mossberg uses his personal opinion to dismiss the lawsuit without providing any evidence or analysis of the case itself. He also ignores other perspectives on this issue such as those from competitors who may have been negatively impacted by Apple's market dominance.
          • The author claims that calling Apple a monopoly in phones is laughable when there are clear indications that it has a dominant market share. This statement is deceptive because it implies that the DOJ's claim of an antitrust violation against Apple is baseless, which contradicts evidence presented by the DOJ.
          • Mossberg uses his personal opinion to dismiss the lawsuit without providing any evidence or analysis of the case itself. This statement is deceptive because it presents a biased viewpoint that ignores other perspectives on this issue.
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing Walt Mossberg's opinion on the matter without providing any evidence of his expertise or qualifications in antitrust law. Additionally, the author commits a false dilemma by presenting only two options: either Apple is not guilty of monopoly or it is guilty and should be punished. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric when Mossberg calls the DOJ's claim that Apple has a monopoly in phones
          • The author cites Walt Mossberg's opinion on the matter without providing any evidence of his expertise or qualifications in antitrust law.
          • <p>Calling Apple a <strong>monopoly</strong> in phones is laughable,</p>
          • <p><em>
        • Bias (85%)
          The author of the article is biased towards Apple and against the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit. The author calls the claim that Apple has a monopoly in phones 'laughable', despite evidence to suggest otherwise. The author also notes that even Gmail only works fully and properly in a special Gmail app, which suggests that it is not necessarily true for all products on Apple's ecosystem. Additionally, the author narrowly defines the market in which they allege Apple holds a monopoly as 'performance phones', meaning expensive phones. This definition does not take into account other factors such as market share and consumer preferences.
          • The DOJ has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, but some analysts think it's a weak case.
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          79%

          • Unique Points
            • Apple is being sued by the Justice Department for afflicting Android smartphone users with a 'green bubble' in text messages.
            • The green bubble status has been mocked online and some women find men who own Androids less attractive. Non-iPhone users also experience social stigma when chatting with iPhone owners.
          • Accuracy
            No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
          • Deception (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Fallacies (75%)
            The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the Justice Department's landmark antitrust case against Apple as evidence of their claims. This is a form of informal reasoning and can be considered biased since it relies on the credibility of one source without providing any counterarguments or alternative perspectives. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing Android users as experiencing social stigma, exclusion, and blame for breaking chats with iPhone users. This is a form of emotional appeal that can be considered manipulative since it relies on people's emotions rather than providing evidence or logical reasoning to support their claims.
            • The Justice Department called out Apple for afflicting Android smartphone users with the dreaded “green bubble” in text messages
            • Android users can't see typing indicators, experience poor video quality and have non-encrypted messages when texting with iPhone users.
            • The notorious issue was heavily featured in the antitrust complaint filed by the DOJ and 16 state attorneys general in New Jersey federal court.
          • Bias (80%)
            The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes Android users by referring to them as 'green bubbles' which is a term often used in the LGBTQ+ community to refer to those who do not use Apple products. This reinforces negative stereotypes about non-iPhone users, particularly within the queer community. The author also uses language that implies that Android users are less attractive than iPhone owners, further perpetuating harmful beauty standards and discrimination against people based on their phone choices.
            • Android users can't see typing indicators, experience poor video quality and have non-encrypted messages when texting with iPhone users.
              • Apple shares fell more than 4% on Thursday after the DOJ announced its lawsuit.
                • The notorious issue was heavily featured in the antitrust complaint filed by the DOJ and 16 state attorneys general in New Jersey federal court.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication