Motion to withdraw lawsuit rejected by US judge, Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) deeply involved in smartphone antitrust case.

According to reports, a federal judge in the United States on Monday rejected Apple Inc.'s motion to dismiss and stated that the iPhone maker must face the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of dominating the smartphone market. This ruling means that the case will continue to proceed, and Apple Inc. may face a prolonged legal battle. District Judge Julien Neals in Newark, New Jersey, rejected Apple Inc.'s motion to dismiss. The lawsuit accuses Apple Inc. of restricting the activities of third-party app and device developers in order to prevent users from switching to other phones. It is understood that in March 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice, along with multiple states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc., focusing on restrictions and charges imposed by Apple Inc. on app developers, as well as technical barriers set for third-party devices and services. This lawsuit poses a threat to the survival of Apple Inc. and could disrupt its lucrative mobile hardware business. A spokesperson for Apple Inc. stated via email, "We believe this lawsuit is factually and legally wrong, and we will continue to actively defend ourselves in court."