U.S. antitrust officials ask to join arguments in Apple appeal

Smartphone with Epic Games logo is seen in front of Apple logo in this illustration taken, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) - Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice have asked to take part in oral arguments next month in "Fortnite" creator Epic Games' appeal of a court loss against Apple Inc, according to court documents filed Friday.

Epic sued Apple in 2020 claiming that the iPhone maker violated antitrust laws with its App Store rules, which require developers to pay commissions to Apple of up to 30% of in-app purchases. Apple emerged mostly victorious, allowing its commissions to stand. At the time of the trial, antitrust experts had said https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/apple-versus-epic-games-courtroom-battle-is-only-half-fight-2021-05-02 that loss for Epic could close off legal avenues for the Justice Department, which has been probing Apple since 2019, to bring an antitrust complaint.