In the wake of the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) recent lawsuit against Apple for alleged anticompetitive behavior, the tech giant now faces a series of class-action lawsuits from consumers. These lawsuits claim that Apple has monopolized the smartphone market, inflating product costs through unfair practices.

According to Reuters, at least three proposed class-action lawsuits have been filed against Apple since Friday in both New Jersey and California. These legal actions align with the DOJ's allegations of Apple violating U.S. antitrust laws. If successful, these lawsuits could potentially represent millions of consumers across the United States.

Similar to the DOJ's claims, these class-action lawsuits argue that Apple's tactics surrounding messaging, digital wallets, and its App Store have stifled competition within the smartphone market. Among the notable legal representation in one of the lawsuits is Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, a law firm known for its successful class-action lawsuits against Apple. They notably handled the $560 million class-action lawsuit regarding Apple Books' alleged price fixing and recently filed another class-action lawsuit related to iCloud limits.

"We are pleased that the DOJ (Department of Justice) agrees with our approach," stated a representative from Hagens Berman, emphasizing the alignment with the government's case.

While the outcome of these class-action lawsuits remains uncertain, Reuters notes a study from 2022 suggesting that private antitrust class actions sometimes have greater impact than government cases.

Apple's ongoing legal battles spark further scrutiny regarding its market dominance and practices. With the DOJ lawsuit and now the emergence of multiple consumer lawsuits, the tech giant faces increased pressure to address allegations of anticompetitive conduct in the smartphone industry.

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