The Justice Department is poised to sue Apple as soon as Thursday for allegedly violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features of its iPhone, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
The lawsuit, which is expected to be filed in federal court, escalates the Biden administration’s antitrust fights against most of the biggest technology companies in the US, the report said.
The case marks the third time that the Justice Department has sued Apple for antitrust violations in the past 14 years, but is the first case accusing the iPhone maker of illegally maintaining its dominant position, the report added.
Late in February, Bloomberg News had reported that Apple representatives met with Justice Department officials in a bid to persuade the agency not to file an antitrust suit against the iPhone maker.
Apple and a DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Shares of the company were down 1.5% at $175.97 in extended trading.