# US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against Apple > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-department-of-justice-antitrust-lawsuit-against-apple > Updated: 2026-08-16T13:20:41.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. The United States Department of Justice, joined by 16 state attorneys general, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging unlawful monopolistic practices within the smartphone market. The litigation focuses on Apple’s control over app distribution and its requirement that all iPhone browsers utilize the proprietary WebKit engine, which the DOJ claims prevents web apps from serving as viable alternatives to native apps. Parallel to the main suit, a legal dispute has emerged regarding discovery processes. Apple has sought to obtain documents from 14 federal agencies, including the CIA, FBI, and Department of Defense, to argue that government preference for certain privacy features justifies its business practices. The DOJ has filed motions to reverse a court ruling that permitted this access, arguing that the agencies should be treated as non-parties entitled to greater protection under Rule 45 and that the current discovery requests impose an undue burden. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-16: US Department of Justice files antitrust lawsuit against Apple The US Department of Justice has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple alleging smartphone market monopolization, while also contesting Apple's right to seek discovery documents from various federal agencies 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-department-of-justice-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-apple ### 2026-07-29: U.S. DOJ seeks to reverse court ruling allowing Apple access to federal agency records The U.S. DOJ has asked a court to overturn a decision that let Apple obtain records from 14 federal agencies in its 2024 antitrust case, arguing the agencies should be treated as non‑parties. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-doj-seeks-to-reverse-court-ruling-allowing-apple-access-to-federal-agency-records --- Cite as: US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against Apple. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-department-of-justice-antitrust-lawsuit-against-apple