Apple asks judge to dismiss app monopoly suit

Apple has asked a federal judge to dismiss a consumer lawsuit regarding an iPhone app monopoly. Filed in 2011, the suit alleges Apple maintains a monopoly because the App Store is the only place to buy iOS apps. “There’s nothing illegal about creating a system that is closed in a sense,” Apple attorney Dan Wall said during a court hearing Tuesday. While the suit claims customers are forced to pay what developers charge for applications at the App Store, Wall argued that Apple doesn’t set prices, and that charging a price for distribution doesn’t violate antitrust laws. [via Bloomberg]