r/apple • u/FollowingFeisty5321 • 16h ago

iPhone Developers Question Scope of Potential Apple Antitrust Settlement

https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/16/developers-question-scope-of-antitrust-settlement/
21 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

9

u/snyderjw 14h ago

I only care about the ability to back up my phone to my NAS, and maybe some way to get JIT emulators. The rest of this is garbage.

2

u/FollowingFeisty5321 16h ago

tldr; The Information has reported that Donald Trump's DOJ has begun quizzing developers about potential settlement terms for their antitrust case, in a move several developers anticipate will not satisfactorily address any of the restrictions the DOJ and 19 states had sued Apple for.

When the DOJ filed its lawsuit in March 2024, it alleged that restrictions affecting messaging, digital wallets, smartwatches, cloud gaming, and multipurpose apps helped Apple unlawfully protect its smartphone monopoly.

According to The Information, Apple offered interoperability concessions during an earlier attempt to avert the lawsuit. The company could still resist the broader changes developers want, leaving the current negotiations without an agreement. Proton said it doubted Apple would accept terms developers would regard as satisfactory.

0

u/dinominant 13h ago

I have stacks of old iphones that work, and are functionally useless because Apple both ended support and also continues to prevent other software from being installed on our devices.

Many apps don't need much to work. I would even consider removing iOS entirely and installing Android or Linux an option. Apple prevents us from even doing that with our own hardware.

-2

u/u7q_1842x 16h ago

That gold trophy paying off for Apple

4

u/FollowingFeisty5321 16h ago edited 16h ago

A toothless settlement would be the fifth miraculous turn of events for Apple under the Trump administration, following the NLRB withdrawing lawsuits, the ITC withdrawing a patent ban, tariff exemptions, and Trump personally threatening sanctions on EU officials who enforce regulations against big tech and tariffs on countries that enact them.

But it wasn't just a gold trophy, there was also the $25 million gift for the ballroom, the $1m bag of cash for the inauguration, the massive investment pledges, their silence on so many topics, and a very odd-looking escort they sent to many dinners with him.

3

u/VariationAgreeable29 15h ago

So basically, Tim Apple doing his job. Peanuts on the spreadsheet in return for billions of voided penalties

3

u/FollowingFeisty5321 15h ago

Unless it's later construed as a felony when a future DOJ digs deeper in to their mutual-generosity.

1

u/cjh_ 12h ago

Apple are in the escort business now?

What next sex bots?