On Thursday, the US Department of Justice filed a claim against Apple, affirming that the tech giant has unlawfully monopolized smartphone advertising, driving higher costs for shoppers and smothering competition. The lawsuit, backed by numerous US states, denounces Apple for keeping up its dominance by making it troublesome for customers to switch to cheaper smartphones and other gadgets, subsequently raking in enormous benefits.  Background of the Lawsuit The claim against Apple is a huge deal within the ongoing story of the US government keeping an eye on huge tech companies. Rather like Amazon, Google, and Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple is…