Updates on Apple vs Epic Games Trials

The US Department of Justice plans to join the process that is already scheduled for October. According to the official report, the hearing will take place on October 21. It looks like the Department of Justice has something to say about Apple’s issue with Fortnite’s developers.

According to the appeals court, the Justice Department of the US wants to join and even asked for taking an active part in the hearing. They will send their official representative. Back in 2021, the first hearing began. The judge in California decided against the Epic Games. The company blamed Apple for monopolization of the whole area of services and digital goods on the App Store.

Epic Games filed a lawsuit in 2020 saying that Apple violated antitrust rules in the US. According to Epic Games’ claims, Apple used the App Store to become a monopoly on the market.

Epic Games was not the first who complained about the unfair fees of Apple. The rules at the store asked all the developers that work there to give them commissions of over 30 percent from the purchasers who were buying apps in the App Store. The problem is still there, despite numerous complaints from developers and several lawsuits lost by Apple.

Yet, in 2021, during the Epic Games vs Apple hearing, the judge decided against developers. Apple went out as the winner in this situation, keeping all the commissions unchanged. Epic Games filed the appeal right away.

Nowadays, Apple is free to do whatever it likes with the fees for developers. Both sides do not agree on the conditions offered by the court. Meanwhile, players can’t wait to receive Fortnite on iOS mobile platforms. For several years they couldn't do that, forced to play on PC.

What do you think about the upcoming hearing? Do you believe that Apple violates the law? Express your thoughts in the comments below.