Developers Question Scope of Potential Apple Antitrust Settlement

Developers are questioning whether a settlement in the U.S. government's antitrust case against Apple would really loosen Cupertino's grip on the iPhone, MacRumors reports, citing The Information. PayPal and Epic Games are among those that raised concerns with the Department of Justice.

DOJ officials have signaled they prefer a negotiated deal centered on interoperability for rival accessories and payment services. Competing smartwatches still lack much of the Apple Watch's integration, and payment apps reportedly remain disadvantaged even after third-party NFC access in iOS 18.1.

The DOJ sued in March 2024 over messaging, wallets, watches, cloud gaming, and multipurpose apps. Apple has denied the claims. The Information says Apple offered concessions earlier to avert the suit, and Proton doubts it will accept terms developers would call satisfactory.

— via MacRumors