IBM Antitrust Case

The IBM antitrust case, formally United States v. International Business Machines Corp., was filed by the United States Department of Justice in 1969, alleging that IBM had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by monopolizing or attempting to monopolize the market for general purpose electronic digital computer systems designed for business use, and later alleging anticompetitive conduct against computer leasing companies and makers of plug-compatible peripherals. Shortly after the suit was filed, IBM voluntarily unbundled its software and services from its hardware, a move widely credited to the pressure of the litigation and one that helped create an independent software industry. The case ran for thirteen years without a trial verdict; the Department of Justice withdrew it in January 1982, concluding it was without merit.