Washington keeps close eye as Apple antitrust fight goes to court

Apple’s antitrust trial with Epic Games kicked off Monday in federal court in California. The case that is expected to be closely watched in Washington as lawmakers and regulators crack down on the market power of Silicon Valley giants.

Epic Games is suing Apple over claims of anti-competitive behavior. The dispute stems from Apple’s decision in August to kick Epic’s popular Fortnite game out of its app store after the developer set up its own payment system in an attempt to avoid the 30 percent commission fees charged by Apple.

The trial comes amid a backdrop of federal and state-led antitrust lawsuits against tech giants, including Facebook and Google, and as Congress weighs steps to revamp antitrust laws after a House Judiciary panel released a blockbuster report alleging Apple and other companies stifled competition.