Apple

Uncle Sam is taking Apple to court -- claiming they have a monopoly on the smartphone business and that the interconnected nature of their products is a little too anti-competitive.

The Dept. of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against Tim Cook's company Thursday, which makes a lot of allegations against the tech giant ... including that their whole business model is inherently gatekeeping, and has a stranglehold on the industry.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the feds say the ecosystem of all things Apple -- including the iPhone, their Apple Watch and other apps and features connected to Apple's mainframe -- has created a "moat" that's unfairly shutting out rival companies and their own customers.

The lawsuit states, "For many years, Apple has built a dominant iPhone platform and ecosystem that has driven the company’s astronomical valuation. At the same time, it has long understood that disruptive technologies and innovative apps, products, and services threatened that dominance by making users less reliant on the iPhone or making it easier to switch to a non-Apple smartphone."

The feds add ... "Rather than respond to competitive threats by offering lower smartphone prices to consumers or better monetization for developers, Apple would meet competitive threats by imposing a series of shapeshifting rules and restrictions in its App Store guidelines and developer agreements that would allow Apple to extract higher fees, thwart innovation, offer a less secure or degraded user experience, and throttle competitive alternatives. It has deployed this playbook across many technologies, products, and services, including super apps, text messaging, smartwatches, and digital wallets, among many others."

In addition to their products -- which the feds allege are created to work only within Apple's system -- the suit claims Apple has gone out of its way to shut down apps/programs people have attempted to use to make communicating on iPhones easier with non-iPhone products. Essentially, they're alleging Apple has made it impossible to interact with Apple products/users if you're not also using an Apple product ... and they say that violates federal law.

The lawsuit also says this ... "If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly ... This anticompetitive behavior is designed to maintain Apple’s monopoly power while extracting as much revenue as possible."

Lily Gladstone tuvo que estar 100% lista para la cámara antes de que pudiera posar para un retrato con Tim Cook... sí, incluso el propio jefe tiene que esperar su turno.

La actriz -que fue candidata a Mejor Actriz anoche, pero perdió ante Emma Stone- salió para los Oscar de Apple después de la fiesta en la Sunset Tower el domingo por la noche, y ella estaba codeándose con el CEO de Apple, incluso tomándose algunas fotos con él.

Sin embargo, antes de que las cámaras pudieran disparar... su equipo de retoque tuvo que acercarse constantemente y ajustar algunos detalles... lo que dejó a Timbo esperando incómodamente a su lado.

Échale un vistazo al video obtenido por TMZ, en el que Tim está tratando de averiguar qué hacer mientras el equipo de Lily sigue haciendo su trabajo, moviendo su vestido, arreglando su pelo, etc.

Tim no se inmutó... simplemente sonrió y se mantuvo al margen del caos. Al final, Tim y Lily pudieron posar para una serie de fotos, así que misión cumplida.

Es comprensible que Lily mereciera este tipo de atención en la noche de los Oscars, ya ella era una de las favoritas durante la ceremonia, pero incluso después de perder ante Emma, parece que la gente todavía estaba hiper-enfocada en ella y queriendo charlar. Tim... no tanto.

Mucha gente cree que Lily se ha quedado sin estatuilla... pero lo dejaremos estar.

De hecho, todos los miembros de "Killers of the Flower Moon" se fueron con las manos vacías, pero bueno... al menos se tienen los unos a los otros... por no mencionar a un puñado de manipuladores que intervendrán en cualquier momento.

Lily Gladstone had to be 100 percent camera ready before she could pose for a portrait with Tim Cook ... yes, even the head honcho himself has to acquiesce to an Oscars glam team.

The actress -- who was up for Best Actress last night, but lost to Emma Stone -- stepped out for Apple's Oscars after-party at the Sunset Tower Sunday evening ... and she was hobnobbing with Apple's CEO, even stepping in to take some photos with him.

Before the cameras could fully snap away, though ... her touch-up crew had to constantly come over and adjust things on her -- which left Timbo awkwardly waiting right by her side.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ ... TC is trying to figure out what to do with himself as Lily's team keeps doing its work ... moving her dress around, fixing her hair, etc. You can tell he's a bit of an afterthought here -- and he's just there to make her look good!

Tim was notably unbothered ... he just smiled and stood to the side of the chaos. Eventually, Tim and Lily were able to pose for a series of pics -- so, mission accomplished.

Understandable that Lily would warrant this type of attention on Oscars night -- she was one of the front-runners during the ceremony ... but even after losing out to Emma, it looks like people still were hyper-focused on her and wanting to chat her up. Tim ... not so much.

A lot of folks feel like LG actually got snubbed out of a statuette ... but we'll leave that be.

Everyone from "Killers of the Flower Moon" left empty-handed, in fact, but hey ... at least they have each other -- not to mention a bunch of handlers who'll jump in at a moment's notice.

Elon Musk and Steve Jobs' signatures are a holy grail of sorts for tech enthusiasts ... and if you're willing to splash some serious cash, you might just get lucky and score one of their elusive autographs.

Talk about a coveted piece of history ... a bidding war is on over at RR Auction for a movie ticket stub signed by Jobs -- and there's also the super rare SpaceX business card signed by Musk himself!!

As you can see, Steve's signature is on the back of a movie ticket from 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" at Century Cinema 16 in Mountain View, CA.

Despite a little tear made by the usher before he signed it, the signature remains intact and in good condition.

It also comes with a detailed letter of provenance from the OG recipient, who says being a big Apple fan and suddenly spotting Steve and his fam at the cinema was a major deal.

The fan waited until the end of the movie to ask for his autograph -- and the wait paid off 'cause Steve dug out his own cinema ticket to sign as they didn't have a piece of paper.

Meanwhile, EM's signature on a SpaceX business card -- signed in black felt tip -- is like a piece of history from the forefront of space exploration.

Tech expert Brian Heater isn't buying the notion a new virtual reality headset will further isolate people from human interactions ... at least not in the short term.

Brian, an editor at TechCrunch, joined us on "TMZ Live" and gave us the lowdown on the latest offering from Apple ... the Apple Vision Pro.

As Brian explains, the fancy new device blends virtual reality with augmented reality ... presenting some really cool features, and the potential to take an already isolated society and further remove us from real life.

But, Brian's not ready to declare the Apple Vision Pro a danger to society just yet ... not while the headset comes with a $3,500 price tag.

Plus, Brian says we're already interacting through screens on Zoom calls and FaceTime ... so it's not a huge shift here with what basically amounts to a smartphone on steroids.

The real societal changes, Brian says, will be felt further in the future ... when the Apple Vision Pro and similar gadgets become more affordable and accessible to the masses.

The Las Vegas teen accused of fatally mowing down a retired police chief is now facing an attempted murder charge in a totally separate case ... and prosecutors wanna lump this into his already-existing murder case.

18-year-old Jesus Ayala was charged for attempted murder earlier this month, with prosecutors in Nevada claiming he stabbed somebody in the Vegas area -- which they say went down two months before he allegedly ran over Andreas Probst.

The authorities say the alleged victim told them Ayala and another person approached him on the street and started to use brass knuckles and knives on him -- with the man claiming he sustained multiple lacerations to his torso as well as near his head.

Now, in light of this new info -- the state wants to add the attempted murder charge to Ayala's original case in a new indictment ... according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

Remember ... in the OG case, prosecutors claimed Jesus was behind the wheel of a stolen car when he ran over a bicyclist on the road back in August ... killing the guy on the bike, who turned out to be retired police chief Andreas Probst. There was another teen in the car who is accused of recording the incident. Video of the alleged incident surfaced as well.

Like we said ... prosecutors are now seeking to amend Ayala's original charges to add the attempted murder charge from the stabbing incident -- and their argument is ... it's related.

El adolescente de Las Vegas acusado de atropellar mortalmente a un jefe de policía retirado se enfrenta ahora a un cargo de intento de asesinato en un caso totalmente distinto, y los fiscales quieren mezclarlo con su caso de asesinato ya existente.

Jesús Ayala— de 18 años— fue acusado de intento de asesinato a principios de este mes, con los fiscales en Nevada alegando que apuñaló a alguien en el área de Las Vegas dos meses antes de que supuestamente atropellara a Andreas Probst.

Las autoridades dicen que la presunta víctima les dijo que Ayala y otra persona se acercaron a él en la calle y comenzaron a golpearlo incluso utilizando cuchillos. El hombre afirma que sufrió múltiples laceraciones en el torso, así como cerca de su cabeza.

Ahora, a la luz de esta nueva información, el estado quiere añadir el cargo de intento de asesinato al caso original de Ayala en una nueva acusación, de acuerdo con nuevos documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ.

Recordemos que en el caso original, los fiscales afirmaron que Jesús estaba al volante de un carro robado cuando atropelló a un ciclista en la carretera en agosto, matando al ciclista que resultó un jefe de policía retirado llamado Andreas Probst. Había otro adolescente en el carro al que se le acusa de grabar el incidente.

Como dijimos, los fiscales están tratando de modificar los cargos originales de Ayala para añadir el cargo de intento de asesinato por el incidente de apuñalamiento y su argumento es que todo está relacionado.

Elon Musk has a message for Disney CEO Bob Iger and all the other advertisers fleeing his social media platform -- don't let the door hit ya on the way out, and go screw yourselves while you're at it.

The owner of X was talking shop on CNBC -- on the heels of his recent Israel visit, and in the wake of antisemitism allegations -- and he fired away about the exodus of corporations cutting ties with him.

Check it out ... he says he actually hopes they stop advertising permanently, and then dropped a very clear "Go f*** yourself" proclamation to everybody who's jumping ship.

You can tell the host was shocked by Elon's choice words -- especially while live on the air -- so, naturally, EM said it again, and then asked if he'd made himself clear. He certainly had!

Elon explained that he feels like he's being blackmailed by these companies with the hope of paying for ads, and emphasized he wouldn't sacrifice his free speech policies for monetary gain ... even if, apparently, it means hurting his bottom line.

Funny enough, Elon singled out Iger in his remarks here, playfully calling out "Bob" as someone who was probably watching in the audience. Indeed, Disney was one of the major companies to pause its advertising with X ... as did many others.

Iger actually addressed that today as well -- before Elon's snipe -- and said, "We know that Elon is larger than life in many respects, and that his name is very much connected to the companies he founded or owns. By him taking the position he took in a public manner, we felt that the association was not necessarily a positive one for us."

Elon Musk tiene un mensaje para el CEO de Disney, Bob Iger, y todos los demás anunciantes que huyen de su plataforma de medios sociales: "No dejes que la puerta te golpee en la salida y vete a la mierda".

El propietario de X habló en la CNBC tras su reciente visita a Israel y a raíz de las acusaciones de antisemitismo disparó sobre el éxodo de las empresas que cortan lazos con él.

Échale un vistazo... dice que espera que dejen de hacer publicidad de forma permanente y luego dejó caer una muy clara "Vete a la mierda" proclamación a todo el mundo que está saltando del barco.

Se puede decir que el presentador se sorprendió por las palabras de Elon - especialmente en directo - por lo que, naturalmente, EM lo dijo de nuevo, y luego le preguntó si había sido claro. Desde luego que sí.

Elon explicó que se siente como si estuviera siendo chantajeado por estas empresas con la esperanza de pagar por los anuncios, e hizo hincapié en que no iba a sacrificar sus políticas de libertad de expresión para la ganancia monetaria ... incluso si, al parecer, significa perjudicar a su línea de fondo.

Curiosamente, Elon señaló a Iger en sus comentarios aquí, llamando juguetonamente a "Bob" como alguien que probablemente estaba viendo en la audiencia. De hecho, Disney fue una de las principales empresas que puso en pausa su publicidad con X... al igual que muchas otras.

Iger también se ha referido a ello hoy, antes del ataque de Elon, y ha dicho: "Sabemos que Elon es más grande que la vida en muchos aspectos, y que su nombre está muy relacionado con las empresas que ha fundado o de las que es propietario. Al adoptar la postura que adoptó de forma pública, sentimos que la asociación no era necesariamente positiva para nosotros."

Steve Wozniak has been hospitalized in Mexico City after taking ill and suffering what appears to be vertigo ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, Woz gave a speech Wednesday in Mexico City at the World Business Forum, after which he told his wife he was "feeling strange." He then started exhibiting symptoms that alarmed his wife, who said he needed to go to the hospital.

We're told the 73-year-old cofounder of Apple resisted, saying he'd be OK, but his wife persisted and ultimately insisted he go to the hospital.

At the time of the post, we're told Steve is in the E.R. at a Mexico City hospital, where doctors are performing tests.

Several people from Steve's team are flying from the U.S. to Mexico City on a private jet, to see firsthand what is going on with him and take him back to the U.S. for further treatment if that's necessary.

Woz has been traveling a lot lately, but it's unclear if fatigue played a part in the medical emergency.

Steve Wozniak ha sido hospitalizado en Ciudad de México después de enfermar y sufrir lo que parece ser vértigo, según ha indagado TMZ.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo nos dicen que Woz dio un discurso este miércoles en la capital mexicana, en el marco del World Business Forum, después de lo cual le dijo a su esposa que se estaba "sintiendo extraño."

Entonces empezó a mostrar síntomas que alarmaron a su mujer, quien le dijo que tenía que ir al hospital.

Nos dicen que el cofundador de Apple, de 73 años, se resistió, asegurando que estaría bien, pero su esposa persistió y finalmente logró que fuera.

En el momento de la publicación, nos dicen que Steve está en urgencias en un hospital de Ciudad de México, donde los médicos están realizando pruebas.

Varias personas del equipo de Steve están volando desde Estados Unidos en un jet privado, para ver de primera mano lo que está pasando con él y llevarlo de vuelta para recibir tratamiento adicional si es necesario.

Woz ha estado viajando mucho últimamente, pero no está claro si la fatiga jugó un papel en la emergencia médica.

It's all or nothing for Juno Temple when it comes to more future seasons of her hit TV show with Jason Sudeikis ... and we mean it, 'cause she's kinda swearing off spin-offs.

We got the "Ted Lasso" star at LAX Tuesday, and of course ... had to ask her about the possibility of her beloved Apple TV series getting another look after the recent season/series finale that seemed to tie things up for good.

Jason has suggested he's done, for now, with Ted and co. -- but there's been A LOT of clamoring for more ... including from Apple's top dog, Tim Cook, who reportedly floated his desire to see Season 4 come to fruition. With that in mind, Juno's take here is interesting.

She says she's 100% down to run it back ... assuming Jason and the rest of the cast/creators are willing to do it as a unit. Emphasis on that last part -- because, as Keeley Jones notes ... she's not all that into the idea of individual offshoots focusing on particular characters, including her own.

As she puts it -- either the band gets back together in full ... or she ain't gonna be a part of it. That's fascinating ... mostly because Jason has actually suggested spin-offs of "Ted Lasso" could happen before a new season hits the small screen again. Based on what Juno's saying ... it sounds like he should reconsider if he wants to revisit 'TL' at all.

One more thing ... we ask JT if she took a memento home from the set during their final days of filming -- and as it turns out, she did. Take a guess at her new prized possession.

Here's a hint ... it's kind of a spirit animal on the show and has shown up in a lot of scenes.

Apple's newest fancy gadget -- an AR headset -- could be a massive hit, but considering recent tech history, it might be a huge flop ... so says one plugged in journo.

We're talking about Apple Vision Pro -- which Tim Cook and co. unveiled Monday as their latest "game-changer" ... and, yes, it took the internet/Twitter by storm. It's an augmented reality device that you slip over your face (much like traditional VR headsets).

The difference here ... the real world is only slightly digitized -- with iPhone screens/apps popping up in front of your eyes, almost making them seem like they're integrated into your actual reality.

The footage and photos they showed off at the big Apple showcase from their Bay Area HQ definitely made it look cool, but the question is ... will anyone actually buy into this???

Welp, according to tech reporter Ian Sherr ... the odds might be in Apple's favor for this one. He came on "TMZ Live" to break down the new toy -- and he says while it certainly has the potential to flop, similar to Meta's Oculus headset, he thinks it might actually catch on.

Ian says the fact Vision Pro offers a decent blend of reality with augmented reality, along with the functionality and addictive entertainment we get in smartphones ... might be enough to set it apart from previous headset failures.

In other words, this one gives you more to do than just play games ... which has, by and large, been what other VR headsets have been able to produce thus far. Here, Ian says Apple might've struck the right balance to give people a truly unique experience.

Plus, he notes Apple has gambled big in the past and won people over, despite initial doubters ... like there are now.

As for the price tag, it wasn't announced when we were talking to Sherr -- but it's since been revealed ... a whopping $3,500, which is A LOT.

Time will tell if folks wanna shell out that much just to close themselves off from the outside world. Another option, they could just go and buy an old Google Glass for much cheaper ... which, as many online have rightly noted, is essentially the same as this ... circa 2013.

LeBron James tried to summon some "Ted Lasso" magic to give the Lakers a boost in their playoff game Wednesday night by rockin' some show-themed gear -- but even with the power of AFC Richmond on his side ... the King and his squad still fell short in Memphis.

The L.A. superstar sported a blue hoodie with Lasso's fictional soccer team's logo on it as he entered the FedExForum in Tennessee ... clearly hoping it would help draw some good vibes for his team in their closeout game with the Grizzlies.

As you probably know by now ... the Apple TV+ show is all about how Lasso, an American football coach played by Jason Sudeikis, inspires a ragtag soccer team in Europe to improbably win games against all odds.

While James' team wasn't exactly underdogs in the playoff contest with Ja Morant and the Grizz -- the message to L.A. was still loud and clear.

But, the pregame 'fit didn't bring much luck to the Lakers ... they were kicked around for most of the night -- and ended up losing, 116-99. To make matters worse for James, he didn't play his best, scoring just 15 points.

Of course, L.A. will still have two more opportunities to put the Grizzlies away -- Game 6 will go down on Friday ... and if a Game 7 is necessary, it'll happen on Sunday.

F. Murray Abraham, who's starred in "White Lotus" and "Homeland," faced sexual misconduct allegations on another hit show ... and it was so serious, it reportedly cost him his job.

Abraham got the boot from Apple TV+'s "Mythic Quest" about a year ago, but the reason for his departure was never revealed. Now, a new report in Rolling Stone magazine says the firing was due to 2 alleged incidents of the actor harassing, at the very least, female costars or crew members.

According to the report, Abraham was given a warning after one incident ... and was told to stay away from some of his female costars. Sources say a second incident later went down and when the show creator and star Rob McElhenny found out, Abraham was dropped.

Abraham played C.W. Longbottom, the pretentious head game writer at Mythic Quest HQ. His absence first went into effect at the beginning of season 3, and a send-off for the character was written into the show -- something McElhenny told Variety was "a really fitting tribute to him."

Lionsgate, which produces "Mythic Quest," tells TMZ ... "We take allegations of misconduct seriously and investigate them thoroughly.  As a matter of corporate policy, we do not discuss personnel actions.”