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DOJ to sue Apple in antitrust case, source says

The Justice Department plans to sue Apple for violating antitrust laws, according to people familiar with the case.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and others Ministry of Justice official An announcement is expected later Thursday. The Justice Department declined to comment when asked about possible litigation.

Apple has been the subject of antitrust scrutiny for years, most recently for its app store. Apple is in a long-running legal battle with video game developer Epic Games, which claims that the proliferation of iPhones has effectively given Apple a monopoly on the App Store.

It’s unclear whether the Justice Department’s Thursday lawsuit has any bearing on this.

Apple escalates EPIC GAMES feud by blocking Fortnite app in EU

The Justice Department plans to sue Apple for antitrust violations, according to people familiar with the lawsuit. (Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

In 2020, Epic accused Apple of violating U.S. antitrust laws by imposing fees of up to 30% on in-app payments on its iPhone operating system (iOS) devices.

Apple reversed its decision The move is to prevent Epic Games, the developer of the Fortnite video game, from launching its own online marketplace for iPhones and iPads in Europe on Friday.

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The move to allow Epic to proceed with its plans follows a European Union deadline from last Thursday. major technology companies This is a set of rules that prohibits Apple and Google from controlling which apps can be distributed to devices with iOS or Android operating systems.

epic games

In 2020, Epic accused Apple of violating U.S. antitrust laws by imposing fees of up to 30% on in-app payments on its iPhone operating system (iOS) devices. (Idrees Abbas/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images/Getty Images)

EU industry chief Thierry Breton said regulators had warned Apple about the company’s decision to block Epic’s potential return.

Breton told It shows good results,” he posted.

Apple faces nearly $2 billion in EU antitrust fines

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland

Attorney General Merrick Garland and other top Justice Department officials are expected to make an announcement later Thursday. ((Photo by: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)/Getty Images)

But Epic ultimately lost a legal battle over U.S. antitrust violations, and the game maker’s plan to break Apple’s rules in protest gained popularity. fortnite game Access from Apple devices is prohibited. Friday’s decision is a victory for Epic, but it still falls short of everything it wants from Apple.

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Meanwhile, the European Union slapped Apple with a $2 billion antitrust fine in early March over App Store rules.

Fox Business’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report

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