Telecom
US Sues Apple for Monopolising Smartphone Market
US Justice Department and more than a dozen states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, saying its devices and software are a monopoly that gives it vast profits at the expense of customers.
The DOJ, along with 16 state and district attorneys general, accuses Apple of driving up prices for consumers and developers at the expense of making users more reliant on its phones.
The parties allege that Apple “selectively” imposes contractual restrictions on developers and withholds critical ways of accessing the phone as a way to prevent competition from arising, according to the release.
“Apple exercises its monopoly power to extract more money from consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants, among others,” the DOJ wrote.
The government points to several different ways that Apple has allegedly illegally maintained its monopoly:
Disrupting “super apps” that encompass many different programs and could degrade “iOS stickiness” by making it easier for iPhone users to switch to competing devices.
Blocking cloud-streaming apps for things like video games that would lower the need for more expensive hardware.
Suppressing the quality of messaging between the iPhone and competing platforms like Android.
Limiting the functionality of third-party smartwatches with its iPhones and making it harder for Apple Watch users to switch from the iPhone due to compatibility issues.
Blocking third-party developers from creating competing digital wallets with tap-to-pay functionality for the iPhone.
“For years, Apple responded to competitive threats by imposing a series of ‘Whac-A-Mole’ contractual rules and restrictions that have allowed Apple to extract higher prices from consumers, impose higher fees on developers and creators, and to throttle competitive alternatives from rival technologies,” DOJ Antitrust Division Chief Jonathan Kanter said in a statement.
The case is being filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey. Attorneys general from New Jersey, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia joined the DOJ in the complaint.
The enforcers are asking the court to stop Apple from “using its control of app distribution to undermine cross-platform technologies such as super apps and cloud streaming apps,” prevent it from “using private APIs to undermine crossplatform technologies like messaging, smartwatches, and digital wallets,” and keep it from “using the terms and conditions of its contracts with developers, accessory makers, consumers, or others to obtain, maintain, extend, or entrench a monopoly.”
They also ask the court for any other relief needed to restore competition. On a background call with reporters, DOJ officials would not address if they would seek to break up Apple if it wins at the liability stage. They said any relief would need to be tied to what the court ultimately finds Apple to be liable for.
At a press conference on Thursday announcing the lawsuit, DOJ Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Apple has maintained “a chokehold on competition” and “smothered an entire industry” through its shift from “revolutionizing the smartphone market to stalling its advancement.”
Kanter added that Apple was a “significant beneficiary” of the DOJ’s suit against Microsoft over 20 years ago, and this case aims “to protect competition and innovation for the next generation of technology.”
US Attorney General Merrick Garland acknowledged the resource imbalance the government is up against, facing a company worth trillions of dollars. “When you have an institution with a lot of resources that, in our view, is harming the American economy and the American people, it’s important for us to allocate our resources to protect the American people,” Garland said. “And that is certainly the case where individual Americans have no ability to protect themselves.”
In a statement, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz said the lawsuit “threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple — where hardware, software, and services intersect.
“It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology. We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it.”
Apple plans to move to dismiss the case, an Apple spokesperson told reporters in a background briefing with several news outlets on Thursday. The company also disagrees with the relevant market the DOJ defined for the case, believing it should be the global smartphone market, not just the US one, a spokesperson said.
Millions of citizens across Africa are being denied access to essential services due to the rapid imposition of biometric digital-ID systems, a new report by the African Digital Rights Network has revealed.
Biometric
The study, published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), found that citizens are increasingly required to provide biometric and personal information as a condition for accessing fundamental rights and government services such as voting, education, healthcare, and social protection payments.
According to the report, marginalised groups including persons with disabilities, the illiterate, and those unable to afford mobile data or electricity for phone charging face significant barriers to registration, deepening existing inequalities.
It noted that many citizens also refuse to enrol due to fears of data breaches and mistrust of governments, with biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition raising privacy concerns.
Dr Tony Roberts, Research Fellow at IDS and co-editor of the report, said: “Worryingly, fundamental human rights, like education, healthcare and the right to vote are rapidly becoming conditional on enrolment in biometric digital-ID systems.”
He added that some visually impaired citizens are forced to pay others to help them use their digital-ID on mobile phones to access social protection payments.
‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and co-editor of the report, said: “Many citizens do not want to enrol for a biometric digital-ID because they have good reason not to trust their governments with their biometrics and personal information.”
The report highlighted examples of massive data breaches and cases where personal data was used to surveil critics and opposition leaders.
It warned that most systems, estimated to cost at least US$1 billion across Africa, lack adequate legal frameworks, robust digital security, and accountability mechanisms for remedy when errors or breaches occur.
The authors concluded that governments must adopt strong legislation to protect citizens’ rights and privacy before rolling out biometric IDs, stressing that systems should be developed with citizen participation rather than imposed top-down.
The report, Biometric Digital-ID in Africa: Progress and Challenges to Date – Ten Country Case Studies, covers Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Senator Natasha Akpoti has emerged as the most searched personality in Nigeria, according to Google’s 2025 Year in Search report, which highlights the interests and concerns that shaped the nation’s online activity during the year.
The report showed that political conversations dominated searches, with Akpoti’s prominence underscoring the intensity of national discourse. Nigerians also followed global developments closely, including the Israel-Iran War and the United States elections.
The country mourned the passing of former whose deaths prompted widespread searches recalling their legacies and contributions to national life.
Entertainment trends reflected Nigeria’s cultural vibrancy, with gospel hit “Oluwatosin (Jesus Is Enough)” by Tkeyz featuring Steve Hills topping charts, alongside Afrobeats collaborations such as Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You.” Director Kemi Adetiba and the local series “To Kill a Monkey” also drew significant attention.
Google noted that Nigerians displayed curiosity in language and lifestyle, decoding slang like “Labubu” and exploring recipes ranging from Pornstar Martini to traditional Chinchin.
Technology searches were led by interest in the iPhone 17 and Tecno Pop 10, reflecting the country’s embrace of new devices.
“This data offers a real-time window into the Nigerian psyche in 2025, showing a nation engaged, reflective, and creatively vibrant,” said Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications Manager for West Africa.
14-year-old Oreoluwa Alayande has been crowned the winner of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2025, following a thrilling grand finale that saw the top 20 contestants from schools across the country compete head-to-head.
MTN mPulse 2025 Spelling Bee
The grand finale of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2025 competition was held on Saturday, November 29, at the MTN Plaza Rooftop. The event also had in attendance the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Opeyemi Eniola and mPulse Spelling Bee 2024 winner, Ikenna Ikechukwu.
As the 2025 MTN mPulse Champion, Oreoluwa was awarded an Educational Grant of N5 Million Naira, the opportunity to be the MTN CEO for a Day, a brand new laptop and smartphone, and the title of the face of mPulse for a year. Her victory also benefits her school, which will receive a N10 Million flagship gift, 10 laptops, and 10 MTN 5G routers, while her teacher receives a N500,000 cash prize.
Oreoluwa, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, expressed her gratitude. “I’d like to use this opportunity to thank MTN for providing a platform that empowers youths and increases the vocabulary of students,” she said. “I’d also like to thank my family, everyone who has supported me so far, and my school,” she said.
Speaking at the grand finale, Babatunde Oyeleye, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, MTN Nigeria, acknowledged the parents and teachers. “Every year, we bring you all together to see who becomes the exceptional speller in Nigeria, and the participants always perform exceptionally,” Oyeleye stated. “I’d like to say a big thank you to the parents and the teachers. You dedicate your time to nurturing these children, and the feeling of pride is always evident on your faces. We are glad to be enablers of that smile and pride you feel,” Oyeleye said.
The second position, Samuel Babalola, was rewarded with a N2.5 Million Educational Grant, 1 laptop, and 1 smartphone, with his teacher receiving an N300,000 cash prize. Levi Kelechi Ebisike, in third place, won a N1.5 Million Educational Grant, 1 laptop, and 1 smartphone, along with an N200,000 cash prize for his teacher.
The grand finale was streamed live on the MTN Nigeria YouTube channel and on the Holiday Channel 198 on both DStv and GOtv, allowing Nigerians nationwide to watch the brilliant spellers.
The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee continues to be one of Nigeria’s most impactful development initiatives, reiterating MTN’s commitment to promoting literacy and digital inclusivity. The competition, a flagship initiative under the MTN mPulse umbrella, is designed to foster digital literacy, academic excellence, and healthy competition among Nigerian students.
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