There is a massive amount of interest in Broadcast Flag-free equipment. The market loves a vacuum, so even if we don't see equipment from major producers, somebody will manufacture or continue to manufacture this type of equipment. It just may be an outfit like Elgato rather than a Motorola.
Just so there is clarity on what a monopoly is: A monopoly arises, "when the production of a good or service with no close subsititutes is carried out by a single firm with the market power to decide the price of its output." That's "Economics A - Z" as the Economist calls it, and you can find a more complete definition here.
To give a few examples, Apple doesn't really qualify as a monopoly because there are a number of 'close substitutes' available to buyers and, with respect to the content itself, one can always buy a CD instead of using iTMS if they want DRM-free music.
Now, as far as the law is concerned: Even assuming Apple were a monopoly, simply enjoying monopoly status is not illegal; however, abusing monopoly stauts is illegal. Courts draw a distinction between the act of monopolizing and the mere possession of a monopoly. As in the Alcoa case, a company that has a monopoly "thrust upon it" or that becomes a monopoly through "superior skill, foresight and industry" should not be "turned upon."
Microsoft got spanked (in theory, anyway) because the court found it had violated the Sherman Act by maintaining its monopoly power by anticompetitive means and attempting to monopolize the Web browser market. Apple appears a far cry from that position for the time being.
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There is a massive amount of interest in Broadcast Flag-free equipment. The market loves a vacuum, so even if we don't see equipment from major producers, somebody will manufacture or continue to manufacture this type of equipment. It just may be an outfit like Elgato rather than a Motorola.
Just so there is clarity on what a monopoly is: A monopoly arises, "when the production of a good or service with no close subsititutes is carried out by a single firm with the market power to decide the price of its output." That's "Economics A - Z" as the Economist calls it, and you can find a more complete definition here.
To give a few examples, Apple doesn't really qualify as a monopoly because there are a number of 'close substitutes' available to buyers and, with respect to the content itself, one can always buy a CD instead of using iTMS if they want DRM-free music.
Now, as far as the law is concerned: Even assuming Apple were a monopoly, simply enjoying monopoly status is not illegal; however, abusing monopoly stauts is illegal. Courts draw a distinction between the act of monopolizing and the mere possession of a monopoly. As in the Alcoa case, a company that has a monopoly "thrust upon it" or that becomes a monopoly through "superior skill, foresight and industry" should not be "turned upon."
Microsoft got spanked (in theory, anyway) because the court found it had violated the Sherman Act by maintaining its monopoly power by anticompetitive means and attempting to monopolize the Web browser market. Apple appears a far cry from that position for the time being.