Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice are at odds over how much newer evidence Apple should have to hand over in the government's antitrust case, according to a new court filing reported by MacRumors.
What the DOJ wants
The two sides previously agreed on a June 20, 2025 cutoff for the records Apple would collect and produce. Evidence gathering is now scheduled to wrap up in late May 2027, and DOJ lawyers are asking Apple to produce documents created up to 30 days before that deadline. Their argument, as described in the filing, is that more recent records could show whether the practices alleged in the complaint are still going on.
Apple's objection
Apple is pushing back, saying that widening the search would delay the case by several months. The company says it has already reviewed more than 11 million documents and turned over more than two million, covering an 18-year period.
Where the case stands
The Justice Department filed its lawsuit in March 2024. It accuses Apple of illegally protecting a monopoly in smartphones by restricting competing apps, services and devices. Apple denies the allegations.
The latest filing asks the court to formally recognize that the parties cannot settle the document dispute between themselves. The court will now decide how to move the disagreement forward and whether Apple must search for and produce the more recent material. No ruling has been reported.
Why it matters
Disputes over the scope of document production can look procedural, but they often shape the timeline of a large antitrust case. A longer evidence window could push back later stages of the proceedings, while a shorter one could limit what the government can show about Apple's current conduct. The filing as reported does not include direct quotes from either party, and the report does not confirm which court is handling the dispute.
Cupertino News will follow any ruling on the request.
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