GoKawiil
Tech News
The Information reports that Apple and the Justice Department are continuing settlement negotiations in the 2024 antitrust lawsuit, with discussions reportedly centered on iPhone interoperability requirements. PayPal and Epic Games are among the developers who have told DOJ officials they fear any resulting deal could impose only minimal restrictions on Apple's practices.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman denied OpenAI's request to access the confidential terms of a settlement between X, SpaceX AI, and Apple in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit. X and SpaceX AI plan to drop their claims against Apple after reaching the deal, but the case continues against OpenAI. Pittman reviewed the agreement privately and concluded it holds no information pertinent to the remaining dispute.
Federal Judge Mark Pittman is demanding X and SpaceX's AI unit turn over any agreement that led them to voluntarily drop antitrust claims against Apple, while continuing their suit against OpenAI. The original lawsuit alleged Apple and OpenAI colluded to suppress rival AI apps on the App Store after agreeing to integrate ChatGPT into Siri. OpenAI filed an emergency motion pushing for disclosure of the settlement terms, and Pittman has given the companies until noon on September 17 to respond.
Special Master Judge Jose Linares has paused his own earlier order requiring the DOJ to hand over records from 14 federal agencies to Apple, while District Judge Julien Neals reviews the government's appeal of that ruling. Apple wants the documents to show how agencies weigh privacy and security in smartphone purchasing decisions, arguing this supports its defense that certain contested practices are legitimate safeguards rather than anticompetitive conduct.