With a loyal fanbase, Apple is in a unique position which is now under fire, writes Zoe Kleinman
To understand how much the US's new lawsuit strikes at the heart of the identity Apple has forged for itself, let's first consider the firm's fanbase.
Apple has a unique position as a tech brand, and is regarded with enormous affection by those who like it.
I've sat through a lot of Apple events in my time, both virtually and in person, and one thing that always makes us journalists raise an eyebrow is the whooping and cheering from the audience every time a new feature, no matter how small or incremental, is announced.
"Apple is like a strange drug that you just can't quite get enough of," wrote Leander Kahney in his 2006 book The Cult of Mac.It is this "Strange drug" or "Magical experience", as Apple put it in a statement on Thursday, which is now under fire.
This means all Apple products work seamlessly together, and every app, payment method and operating system update is vetted and approved by the tech giant.
Apple employees applaud as customers enter a new store in Hanam, South Korea last year 2023.It was recently forced to open up to other app stores in Europe.
The EU is bringing in a common charger rule, and Apple is now selling lightning cable adaptors, as well as changing its most recent model to far more ubiquitous USB-C port.
"Every case against Apple portrays its users as consumers with no free will. I really struggle with that," remarked Carolina Milanesi from tech industry analysis firm, Creative Strategies.
"Buy your mom an iPhone," the Apple CEO joked.
Don't dry your iPhone in a bag of rice, says Apple.