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’s attempt to shut down the U.S. government’s antitrust case over its alleged smartphone monopoly has just hit a wall.