When Microsoft built Internet explorer into the foundations of their OS, they got slapped with an anti-trust lawsuit because, it was argued, they were denying u

When Microsoft built Internet explorer into the foundations of their OS, they got slapped with an anti-trust lawsuit because, it was argued, they were denying users their choice of web browser and, in effect, monopolizing that sector[1]. Nevermind that users could still install other browsers and use them. You just couldn't uninstall internet explorer. In 1948, the government brought an antitrust lawsuit to trial against Paramount pictures [1] in order to address vertical integration in the movie distribution system. At the time, theatres were either owned by studios or had to buy "packages" of films. In effect, no theatre could show the best films from multiple studios. They had to choose one production company to buy a package from and that was that. Small studios and independents were effectively blocked from showing their films. The government won, and that's why cinemas can actually show films from multiple studios and independents today. Apple now owns their platform down to the chipset and CPU. They jealously guard their spare parts supply chain and have tried to muscle out independent repair services, while designing their products with planned obsolescence as a main goal. The same sort of anti-competitive practices that once kept indie films from being shown are now used to stifle competition for Apple's offerings in multiple spaces. They even produce their own films and TV shows now! Want to watch them someplace other than Apple TV? There are no legal alternatives to installing Apple TV. The vertical integration in Apple is just as bad as it was in 1940's hollywood, but movies are just one of the spaces Apple is trying to dominate. We can argue that users still have choice. They can choose to use alternative streaming services. (They just can't watch anything made by Apple Studios). They can choose alternative hardware or OS's. etc. However, it's clearly not Apple's preference that users have those choices. They just have succeeded in squeezing out the competition yet. If Microsoft building Internet Explorer into Windows merited an antitrust suit just twenty years ago, why haven't we seen an antitrust suit brought to bear against Apple for doing far worse? Given what companies like Apple and, yes, Facebook have done in recent years, perhaps it's time for governments to, once again, start advocating for the consumers that vote them into power. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Cor.... [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pic....