DOJ Lawsuit Against Apple Echoes Epic Games Antitrust Fight

The U.S. Department of Justice, alongside 17 state attorneys general, launched a massive antitrust lawsuit this past Thursday, alleging that Apple maintains an illegal monopoly through its smartphone ecosystem. While the 88-page filing does not explicitly name Epic Games, the core arguments closely mirror the long-standing legal battle waged by the Fortnite developer against the iPhone maker.

The government’s complaint argues that Apple systematically uses its App Store policies to penalize developers. According to the suit, the company enforces rules arbitrarily to restrict technologies that threaten to compete with or erode its market dominance. This echoes the primary grievance held by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who has spent nearly a decade challenging Apple’s 30% commission on in-app purchases.

The conflict between Epic and Apple reached a boiling point in 2020 when Epic introduced a direct payment option for Fortnite players, bypassing Apple’s mandatory billing system. Apple responded by removing the game from the App Store, triggering years of litigation. Although a judge previously ruled that Apple could not prevent apps from linking to alternative payment methods, the court did not classify the company as a monopoly at that time.

The DOJ’s current stance highlights several persistent issues within the Apple ecosystem:

• Arbitrary Enforcement: The suit claims Apple uses its guidelines to stifle developers who leverage disruptive technologies.
• Revenue Extraction: The government challenges the 30% tax, noting that Apple now generates additional revenue by charging developers for search visibility—a service previously bundled into the original commission.
• Lack of Sideloading: Unlike the Android ecosystem, Apple’s strict control over app distribution prevents users from installing software outside of the official App Store.

Other industry players have also challenged Apple’s practices. In March, Apple was fined €1.84 billion by regulators for antitrust violations in the music streaming sector, following complaints from Spotify, which labeled the company’s compliance efforts as a “total farce.”

The Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), which includes members such as Spotify, Deezer, Proton, and Epic Games, issued a statement supporting the DOJ’s intervention. Rick VanMeter, the organization’s executive director, stated that the department is taking a “strong stand against Apple’s stranglehold” and accused the company of abusing its agreements to inflate prices and degrade user experiences.

While Epic Games declined to comment on the new federal lawsuit, Tim Sweeney remains occupied with ongoing legal proceedings. Currently in Melbourne for the Australian Epic v. Apple and Google trial, Sweeney noted on social media that he is pausing his public commentary on antitrust matters until his testimony concludes.