Google Appeals Landmark Ruling on Android App Store Dynamics
Google’s Appeal Against App Store Competition Ruling
Today, Google filed its official notice of appeal against the district court ruling and jury verdict in Epic v. Google. Judge James Donato’s ruling earlier this week would force the company to distribute third-party app stores on Google Play and drop requirements that Google Play apps use its billing system, among other competition-friendly changes.
Google had said it would be appealing the verdict. “As we have already stated, these changes would put consumers’ privacy and security at risk, make it harder for developers to promote their apps, and reduce competition on devices,” Google VP of regulatory affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland said in a blog post on Monday. “Ultimately, while these changes presumably satisfy Epic, they will cause a range of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers, and device makers.”
Impact of the Ruling
Donato’s ruling this week specified that Google’s changes must go into effect starting November 1st, 2024, and they would stay in effect until November 1st, 2027.
The ruling is already having a big impact. Epic has announced plans to bring the Epic Games Store to Google Play in 2025 in the US, and Microsoft said that it plans to let people buy and play games directly in its Xbox Android app next month.
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