In an extremely high-profile legal case, Meta is currently trying to fend off antitrust claims so the FTC doesn’t break it up. And today as part of its prepared defense, the company sought to use Apple’s Messages app as evidence that it’s not a monopoly.
Update 4/16 9:45 a.m. ET: Removed references to previously redacted info at Meta’s request.
Meta compares its various social platforms with Apple’s Messages app
Meta’s opening statement slides are available here for viewing in full, per The Verge.
And as highlighted by Wes Davis, even some of the slides with redacted info are easy to uncover.
One slide, for example, compares weekly device usage of Apple’s Messages app to Meta’s competing offerings on iOS.
The data is presented in the context of Meta seeking to refute the FTC’s apparent perspective that standard “Messaging” is different from “Personal Social Networking.”
Top comment by Terry Benedict
Couldn't care less what Meta thinks about other companies. This is about them! And frankly they should be taken down a peg for selling your data to other countries and manipulating minds.. of course they blame Apple for that too. Oh Apple should have to put an age restriction on the apps in their store. Ah.. how about when people sign up to login to said app you restrict them. It's not Apple's fault because you can't get your own house in order. And as for Instagram.. that is such an easy one.. they should never have been allowed to purchase it. Not that anyone cares about right vs wrong these days. It's quite the free for all. Which is why this is just all for show. Nothing is going to happen to Meta.
There’s also an accompanying quote from Apple Director of Product Marketing, Ronak Shah, saying:
A “core use case” of iMessage is “to allow users to communicate with the people that are in their life that they know.”
In other words, Meta can’t have a monopoly when Apple’s built-in Messages app is more popular—at least on iOS.
Of course, Apple isn’t the only company Meta highlights in its defense. The tech giant also points to competition from TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and more.
What do you think of Meta using Apple’s Messages app in its defense? Let us know in the comments.
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