Antitrust Hearing Involving Apple Chief Tim Cook and Other Big Tech CEOs Reportedly Postponed [Update: Delay Confirmed]

An antitrust hearing held by the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee where Apple chief Tim Cook was set to join other big tech CEOs is likely to be postponed, according to a report on Thursday.

tim cook interview with cbs 6 20
The hearing involving Cook, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was supposed to happen next Monday, but two sources told CNBC that it was now unlikely to take place due to a conflict with the memorial service for the late representative John Lewis.

The hearing is meant to be the culmination of a more than year-long investigation into the four tech giants. After the hearing, lawmakers plan to publish a report based on their findings and propose legislation to bring antitrust laws up to date to deal with issues unique to digital marketplaces.

A recent report by The Information underlined Cook's initial reluctance to take part in the hearing, and how under the pressure of a potential subpoena, Cook ultimately agreed to participate.

Cook is said to have spent the better part of a month preparing for the hearing, which may touch on a wide range of subjects from App Store policies to Apple's disputes with the FBI over providing methods for law enforcement to access locked devices to Apple's relationships with China.

Update: The antitrust hearing with Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ and other tech CEOs has been officially postponed. A new date has not been announced.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

boss.king Avatar
52 months ago

So much CEO time wasted for nothing.

Apple has no monopoly whatsoever, it only has a fraction of the markets in which it competes.

They should rather thank Apple every morning for the huge marketplace they created, to the benefit of millions.
Antitrust laws are meant to promote competition that benefits the customer. This isn't about whether or not Apple is a monopoly, it's about Apple stifling competition on their platform.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4look4rd Avatar
52 months ago

So much CEO time wasted for nothing.

Apple has no monopoly whatsoever, it only has a fraction of the markets in which it competes.

They should rather thank Apple every morning for the huge marketplace they created, to the benefit of millions.
If it’s a monopoly or not is irrelevant.

The question is: is apple’s anti competitive behavior harming consumer?

Apple is acting anti competitively by not allowing other app stores in iOS, and forcing developers to use their payment system for 30% cut. Further more Apple has direct competing products to Netflix, Spotify, and others. That’s just a given.

Where the legal battle will be fought is whether or not consumers are better off using apple’s closed system, or if Apple is harming consumers through these practice (higher prices).

The outcomes could be huge. Either nothing will happen, or Apple will be fine, or Apple will be forced to open up iOS, or on a more extreme level Apple may have to spin up the App Store as a separate company.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crowbot Avatar
52 months ago
Why would a hearing on supposed anti-trust activities by Apple have anything to do with their inability to unlock their products for the FBI? Especially given that these people know nothing about the technical details.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crowbot Avatar
52 months ago

If it’s a monopoly or not is irrelevant.

The question is: is apple’s anti competitive behavior harming consumer?

Apple is acting anti competitively by not allowing other app stores in iOS, and forcing developers to use their payment system for 30% cut. Further more Apple has direct competing products to Netflix, Spotify, and others. That’s just a given.

Where the legal battle will be fought is whether or not consumers are better off using apple’s closed system, or if Apple is harming consumers through these practice (higher prices).

The outcomes could be huge. Either nothing will happen, or Apple will be fine, or Apple will be forced to open up iOS, or on a more extreme level Apple may have to spin up the App Store as a separate company.
I disagree. I think the monopoly question is the only question the government can answer. I don't think the government really has anything to say about Apple's business model of the "walled garden" since there are alternatives that are a much larger proportion of the market. If Netflix, et al, want to play in Apple's garden they have to play by Apple's rules. Otherwise they'll have to be satisfied with the Android world.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmilo Avatar
52 months ago
I always feel bad for those people having to actually prepare those numbers and slides you spent weeks working on, only to have the MD / CEO skipping over them. People like me ?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
52 months ago
So much CEO time wasted for nothing.

Apple has no monopoly whatsoever, it only has a fraction of the markets in which it competes.

They should rather thank Apple every morning for the huge marketplace they created, to the benefit of millions.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)