Apple opens early DOJ settlement talks over iPhone case

Apple is in early talks with the US Department of Justice to settle the 2024 antitrust lawsuit targeting the iPhone ecosystem, according to Bloomberg. The company has made multiple offers this year to resolve the case, but the discussions remain active and there is still no guarantee of an agreement. No trial date has been set.

The DOJ sued Apple under the Biden administration alongside 19 states and the District of Columbia. The complaint accused Apple of violating competition law by blocking super apps, discouraging outside messaging options and cloud streaming apps, restricting rival digital wallets, and hindering smartwatch competition.

Apple’s legal pressure increased after it lost a bid to dismiss the case in June 2025. The company is also dealing with the Supreme Court’s refusal to pause its contempt order in the Epic case, making a settlement with the DOJ more attractive as Apple tries to limit its legal exposure.

Apple has already addressed several of the original complaints. It has:

• launched a mini apps program
• opened Messages to the RCS standard led by Google
• allowed cloud-streaming apps
• opened the iPhone’s NFC payment chip to third-party apps

The Apple Watch still does not work with Android, though Apple has improved iPhone compatibility with non-Apple watches.

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The Trump administration’s DOJ is pushing to settle antitrust cases inherited from the Biden era. Stanley Woodward, the DOJ’s No. 3 official overseeing antitrust, sees settlements as a way to save taxpayer money and deliver faster consumer relief than years of litigation.

It is not known whether the 19 state attorneys general are involved in the talks. Regulators around the world are also pressing Apple to open its platforms, and any DOJ deal could become a template for how much the company is willing to concede before other cases reach trial.