U.S. District Judge James Donato ordered Google to open the Android app store in order to encourage the existence of competing app stores. This is all fallout of the lawsuit brought on by Epic Games, creators of video games like Fortnite and Gears of War, which accused Google of operating an illegal monopoly through restrictive practices in its Google Play Store.
Epic accused Google of implementing a variety of restrictive practices, such as blocking alternative app stores, enforcing the use of its payment system, and imposing high commission fees—all aimed at maintaining its dominance in app distribution. The jury agreed, finding that Google had an illegal monopoly in both Android app distribution and in-app billing services markets.
The judge’s decision will require Google to allow rival third-party app stores to operate within its platform and give them access to the entire catalog of apps available on Google Play.
For the next three years, Google will not be able to do a bunch of stuff like pay companies to launch apps exclusively on Google Play before they hit any other app store. Google will not be able to pay companies to not compete with Google. They cannot pay companies to preinstall Google Play on new devices. They can’t require app makers to use Google Pay Billing. Google will now have to give competing app stores access to Google Play’s catalog of apps. Finally, Google must start carrying third-party Android app stores on the Google Play app store.
The ruling alters the foundation of how digital app stores function as it aims to foster competition. Judge Donato said that the playing field needed to be leveled, noting that even other gigantic tech companies like Amazon have found it exceedingly difficult to compete with Google’s app store ecosystem. Now, with this new ruling, other app stores might finally be able to compete.
Google will appea,l while Epic Games is celebrating the ruling as a huge victory. Its CEO, Tim Sweeney, said the ruling opens the door for alternatives to Google’s big 30 percent cut of app profits.
All of this comes as Google is embroiled in a different monopolistic case wherein the Justice Department is currently proposing a series of sanctions against Google to make sure that they can’t monopolize the search engine market anymore. Proposals include limiting the company’s ability to track data and putting an end to its exclusivity agreements with companies like Apple and Samsung.
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