Epic Games
Epic scores another win as court slams Google’s app store monopoly
It forces Google to allow competing app stores, like Epic’s, within the Google Play Store for at least three years.
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Epic Games has scored another major legal win in its long battle with Google.
A US appeals court has upheld a 2023 jury decision that found Google guilty of operating illegal monopolies through its app store and payment system on Android devices.
This ruling means Google must start making big changes to how Android works, especially when it comes to allowing more competition in its app store.
The decision revives a permanent court order that had previously been put on hold.
That order forces Google to allow competing app stores, like Epic’s own, within the Google Play Store for at least three years.
It also bans Google from forcing developers to use its own payment system, Google Play Billing, and from engaging in other unfair business tactics.
This could significantly reshape the Android app ecosystem and give developers more freedom and better revenue options.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney called it a “total victory,” and Epic confirmed it will now launch its own app store inside Google Play.
Google, however, isn’t backing down. The company says it will continue to fight the decision, likely by appealing to the US Supreme Court.
A Google spokesperson warned the ruling could harm user safety and reduce innovation, since Google’s current system offers built-in protections.
The original lawsuit goes back to 2020 when Epic deliberately broke Google and Apple’s app store rules by sneaking a direct payment method into Fortnite.
Both platforms removed the game, prompting Epic to sue.
While Epic mostly lost its case against Apple, the case against Google revealed secret deals and internal emails that swayed the jury.
The evidence showed Google was trying to prevent competition by making special revenue deals with smartphone makers and game developers to keep them loyal.
The court also made clear that Apple’s “closed” system is different from Google’s more “open” Android system, so the two cases couldn’t be judged the same way.
Do you think forcing Google to allow competing app stores will benefit consumers through more choice and lower prices? Or could it create security risks and confusion for Android users? Tell us below in the comments, or reach us via our Twitter or Facebook.
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