Apple and the US Department of Justice are still talking about settling the antitrust lawsuit the DOJ filed in 2024, and those talks are making developers nervous. According to The Information, the department appears to be focusing on a deal that addresses the interoperability problems developers face with the iPhone.
The concern, reported by both The Information and 9to5Mac, is that any settlement could place only light requirements on how Apple lets its devices work with other companies' products. That would leave much of the App Store and ecosystem behavior at the heart of the case untouched, critics say.
What the DOJ is asking developers
The Information reports that as part of its talks with developers, the Justice Department asked them for a list of ways to improve the iPhone's ability to operate with other devices. PayPal and Epic Games are among the companies that have directly raised concerns about a potential settlement with DOJ officials.
Many developers and antitrust lawyers fear the department will offer Apple a settlement with relatively light requirements on cross-device interaction. Some people involved in the negotiations expected a resolution much sooner, but the pending Senate confirmation of Adam Candeub, Trump's nominee to lead the DOJ's antitrust division, could be adding to the delay.
Apple antitrust case: where things stand
The DOJ sued Apple in 2024, alleging the company illegally monopolized the US smartphone market at the expense of consumers, developers and competitors. Apple pledged to defend itself "vigorously" and has kept pushing back on the government's allegations. Bloomberg reported a few months ago that the two sides were in settlement talks, yet the case has continued to move forward, with Apple and the DOJ recently clashing over access to internal documents from federal agencies during discovery.
Apple has already changed some products and policies since the lawsuit was filed, including improving messaging interoperability with Android devices. The report says Apple is likely to resist more substantial changes to its ecosystem, which could complicate efforts to reach a settlement.
