US Federal Judge Orders Google to Open Google Play Store to Competing Android Apps
A U.S. federal judge has mandated that Google must allow rival tech firms to distribute their Android apps on the Google Play Store for three years, starting next month. This decision is one of several remedies issued by Judge James Donato in a lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite.
Google plans to appeal the ruling and seeks to delay its implementation. This case follows a December jury verdict that favored Epic Games, which accused Google of limiting competition by controlling both app distribution and payment systems on Android devices.
In its defense, Google claimed that these changes could undermine user privacy and security, complicate app promotion for developers, and reduce competition within the Android ecosystem. However, legal experts see the ruling as a substantial move against the dominance of tech giants. Rebecca Haw Allensworth from Vanderbilt Law School noted that it suggests courts may push powerful platforms to share access to foster competition.
Additionally, the ruling compels Google to make its app catalog accessible to competing app stores—a requirement not typically imposed by antitrust laws. Mark Lemley of Stanford Law School remarked that courts can enforce such actions once antitrust violations are established, even if they weren’t initially required.
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Google maintains that its Play Store operates in a competitive landscape, citing competition with Apple, which also faced an antitrust lawsuit from Epic Games in 2020. In that case, an appeals court determined Apple did not hold a monopoly in mobile gaming.
This recent ruling adds to Google’s mounting legal challenges over its market dominance. In August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found Google guilty of maintaining an unlawful monopoly in online search. Last month, a similar case on Google’s dominance in ad tech also wrapped up arguments.
Critics argue that Google’s Play Store fees, which can reach up to 30% on transactions, have inflated consumer costs. Lee Hepner, Senior Legal Counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project, expressed optimism that this ruling will attract more developers to the market, potentially driving down costs for consumers.
