March 21 (Reuters) - Apple ( AAPL ) on Thursday said an

antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice is

"wrong on the facts and the law" and that it will vigorously

defend against it.

"This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that

set Apple ( AAPL ) products apart in fiercely competitive markets. If

successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of

technology people expect from Apple ( AAPL )-where hardware, software,

and services intersect," the company said in a statement.