Psystar Loses Antitrust Claims Over Alleged Apple Monopoly

Apple Inc. is on the verge of winning a legal battle against the Mac replica manufacturer Psystar, which had claimed that Mac OS represents a distinct computer market unjustly being dominated by Apple. 

In a noteworthy decision, a US District Court Judge, William Alsup, rejected Psystar’s all six claims made back in August, when it filed a countersuit against Apple alleging unfair competition, restraint of business, and other violations of US antitrust rules. 

Alsup found many claims of Psystar as “internally contradictory” that actually worked against its charges of an Apple monopoly.  

For instance, the judge cited Apple’s “Think different” ad campaign, which was claimed by Psystar as Apple’s attempt to stop Mac users viewing Windows as substitutes of Mac, as an evidence of vigorous advertising that depicts competition and not monopoly. 

Moreover, the judge also stated that Psystar couldn’t provide appropriate evidence for its charges that Apple can raise costs of its Mac-based products without losing market share, a condition which shows market monopoly. 

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Psystar has 20 days to plead against the decision. 

Earlier, Apple filed a lawsuit against Psystar in July, when it claimed that Psystar had violated software licensing and copyright laws, by selling low-cost replicas of Apple’s Macs, which included devices that run the OS X 10.5 Leopard.