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Apple ‘Not guilty’ verdict in antitrust lawsuit

Apple can breath a sigh of relief after an antitrust lawsuit (which would have cost them $350 million) swung in its favour, ultimately leading to the dismissal of the case.

The case concerns the iTunes Music store and dates back to its early days. The main argument against Apple was that FairPlay, a system that prevented iPods from playing music from other music stores, was anti-competitive and not in the best interests of the consumer. However, the company has been found not guilty as the system was deemed to have been a major benefit to the security of the platform. It was introduced in 2007 along with the release of iTunes 7.

The case had been bumpy from the start. The original plaintiffs, said to have purchased iPods during the years that the case covered– had never actually purchased iPods during that time. An emergency plaintiff was later flown in who had purchased one during the time in question.

Regardless, despite a legitimate plaintiff, the Jury still ultimately decided that the introduction of FairPlay was beneficial, and not a tyrannical business practice.

The verdict is likely welcomed by Apple, which is now spared the expense of having to pay the $350m in damages as well as the amount it is paying as a result of the recent iBook lawsuit.