The case could be a years-long fight for Apple against enforcers' attempts to lower what they say are barriers to competition with the iPhone.

A federal judge on Monday rebuffed Apple's request to throw out a U.S. government lawsuit alleging the technology trendsetter has built a maze of illegal barriers to protect the iPhone from competition and fatten its profit margins.

Apple failed in its attempt to get the antitrust lawsuit that the U.S. Department of Justice filed against it dismissed, reports Reuters.