Apple Litigated For Monopolizing MP3 Music Player Market
Apple was sued in Arkansas by Luxpro Corporation, a Taiwanese electronics company, for contact blocking, attempted monopolization of the MP3 player market, unjust competition, and commercial derogation. It says that Apple has used illegal maneuvers, such squeezing Luxpro’s retail partners to stop marketing Luxpro music players, in an attack to monopolize the MP3 music player market.
Lupro demonstrated its Super Shuffle MP3 player at the CeBit trade show in Hanover, Germany. The device’s similarity to Apple’s iPod Shuffle, in terms of looks and name, moved Apple to seek an injunction against Luxpro. A German court conceded the injunction and Luxpro reacted by renaming its Super Shuffle to “Super Tangent.”
The following month, Apple engaged a third-party to purchase a Super Tangent from LuxPro” and “sneakily got two of Luxpro’s proprietary price lists. Apple then mailed menacing letters to Luxpro demanding that it withdraw its MP3 players from the market.