Biden’s administration sues Apple over monopoly policies.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by Volobjectitarian

[b]Monopolies require government protection. [b]Period. Apple enjoys little to no such protection from our government. They make products that are popular to a wide swath of the market. Good for them.

Not all monopolies have government protection. Standard oil of the 1890's did not have government protection. Also remember that there are two types of monopolies. Horizontal monopolies occur when one company controls too much market share. They do not necessarily need to be the only company in that space to be considered a monopoly. If company A has 95% market share and ten additional companies share the remaining 5% then company A is in fact a monopoly despite having weak competition. Vertical monopolies occur when one company controls its entire supply chain. The threshold for either type of monopoly is not based on the number of competitors rather it is based on whether one company is capable of exerting too much control over the market.

[Volobjectitarian]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

Not all monopolies have government protection. Standard oil of the 1890's did not have government protection. Also remember that there are two types of monopolies. Horizontal monopolies occur when one company controls too much market share. They do not necessarily need to be the only company in that space to be considered a monopoly. If company A has 95% market share and ten additional companies share the remaining 5% then company A is in fact a monopoly despite having weak competition. Vertical monopolies occur when one company controls its entire supply chain. The threshold for either type of monopoly is not based on the number of competitors rather it is based on whether one company is capable of exerting too much control over the market.

I know the economic theory, and the practical reality is that in the US, no monopoly of 2024 exists without a lot of government assistance and protection.

Everyone wants to make a buck, and competitors rise up every minute of every day to grab a slice of whatever pie. It takes government to hold competition at bay, because it isn't 1890 anymore.

Apple is not a monopoly. Not in the theoretical sense, and nowhere near one in the practical sense.

[TMSRetired]

Originally Posted by Volobjectitarian

I know the economic theory, and the practical reality is that in the US, no monopoly of 2024 exists without a lot of government assistance and protection.

Everyone wants to make a buck, and competitors rise up every minute of every day to grab a slice of whatever pie. It takes government to hold competition at bay, because it isn't 1890 anymore.

Apple is not a monopoly. Not in the theoretical sense, and nowhere near one in the practical sense.

When I hear "monopoly" I think of ATT and what they were.
They were the only telephone company...there was no competition.