Google must open the Play Store. On Monday, U.S. District Judge James Donato issued a permanent injunction forcing the company to open its storefront to competitors for three years and make its Android apps available on alternative stores. The ruling stems from a four-year antitrust battle between Google and Epic Games. Google announced on Monday that it would appeal the injunction, highlighting competition with Apple and potential security concerns.
As part of the ruling, Google must allow third-party app stores to access its Google Play library. Additionally, CNBC reports that the company should make these alternative app stores available for download on the Play Store. Google also cannot enter into deals (with fees or revenue sharing) to release apps exclusively on Google Play or pre-install the store on new hardware.
An injunction would also result in a change in the amount charged. Google cannot require developers to use its own billing system. It also doesn’t stop developers from notifying users about cheaper payment options.
CNBC reported that a three-person committee will oversee Google’s compliance and technical issues stemming from the ruling. Google and Epic form a committee.
When asked for comment by Engadget, a Google spokesperson pointed to a blog post explaining the reasons for the appeal. LeeAnne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulation, wrote that the company’s competition with Apple helps offset antitrust concerns. “This decision fails to take into account that Android is an open platform and developers have always had many choices in how they distribute their apps,” Mulholland wrote. “In fact, most Android devices come preloaded with two or more app stores right out of the box.”
“For example, Epic Games has made its popular Fortnite app available to Android users through the Samsung Galaxy Store, sideloading, and the Epic Games Store. Meanwhile, Fortnite has not been distributed through Google Play,” Google’s Deputy Director of Regulation said. the president wrote. “These are options that developers have not been able to offer to American users with iPhones before.”
In December, a jury found that Google’s Play Store violated US antitrust laws. The unanimous ruling found that the company illegally monopolized app distribution and in-app purchases for Android devices. The court also ruled that contracts with other game companies and device manufacturers are anticompetitive.
In April, Epic listed a proposed permanent injunction that closely matches Donato’s decision today. Google, for its part, said at the time that Epic’s demands were excessive and selfish.
The ruling is a marked departure from a similar ruling brought by Epic against Apple, which the Fortnite maker nearly lost. CNBC points out that while Google’s case was decided by a jury, the fate of Apple’s case was in the hands of a judge.
