Apple, DOJ in Early Talks to Settle iPhone Antitrust Lawsuit

Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice are in early settlement talks to resolve the 2024 antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market, Bloomberg reported Friday. The discussions are active, but people familiar with the matter caution that there is no guarantee an agreement will be reached.



Apple has made multiple offers to the Justice Department this year in an effort to resolve the case. The pace of negotiations has accelerated in recent weeks, with the two sides exchanging draft settlement materials, according to the report. Apple declined to comment, while the DOJ did not immediately respond to Bloomberg.


The original lawsuit, filed by the Biden administration in March 2024, accused Apple of harming competitors, developers, and consumers by blocking super apps, discouraging third-party messaging and cloud-streaming services, limiting rival smartwatches, and restricting digital wallets. Apple argued that the lawsuit sought to redesign the iPhone and would undermine the privacy and security protections built into its ecosystem. A federal judge denied Apple's bid to dismiss the case in June 2025, and no trial date has been set.

Since then, Apple has made changes addressing several of the DOJ's allegations. The company now supports RCS in Messages, offers a Mini Apps Partner Program for developers, permits cloud-streaming game services, and has opened access to the iPhone's NFC payment chip for third-party apps.

One issue that remains unresolved is Apple Watch compatibility with Android phones and other non-iPhone devices. Although Apple has introduced features to improve the experience of using third-party smartwatches with the iPhone, it has not made the Apple Watch compatible with Android. Bloomberg reports that the government is also concerned about Apple's ability to change its policies unilaterally, meaning any settlement could require legally enforceable commitments governing the company's future conduct.

The talks come as the Trump administration seeks to resolve several antitrust cases brought under the previous administration. Stanley Woodward, the Justice Department's No. 3 official currently overseeing its antitrust work, has promoted settlements as a way to reduce taxpayer costs and deliver relief to consumers more quickly than lengthy litigation.


Earlier this week, Apple won a discovery dispute that allows it to collect information from more than a dozen federal agencies, including the CIA, Pentagon, and Department of Homeland Security. Apple says the records are critical to demonstrating that the smartphone market is competitive. The DOJ had sought to block access to the information.