A US federal judge has ruled that Google must allow Android apps from rival tech firms onto its Google Play app store for three years, starting next month. This ruling comes as part of several remedies ordered by Judge James Donato in a case brought by Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite.
Google intends to appeal the decision and seek a delay in implementing the remedies. The case stems from a December jury verdict in favour of Epic Games, which claimed Google stifled competition by controlling app distribution and payment systems on Android devices.
In response, Google argued that the changes would compromise user privacy and security, make app promotion more challenging for developers, and reduce competition on Android devices. Legal experts, however, view the ruling as a significant challenge to the dominance of large tech companies. Rebecca Haw Allensworth of Vanderbilt Law School noted that the ruling shows courts may push dominant platforms to share access with rivals to promote competition.
The ruling also requires Google to make its app catalogue available to competing app stores, a move Mark Lemley of Stanford Law School says isn't typically mandated by antitrust law. However, the judge emphasized that once antitrust violations are proven, courts can order actions to undo the harm, even if those actions weren't previously required.
Google maintains that its Play Store operates in a competitive market, pointing to competition with Apple, which also faced a lawsuit from Epic Games in 2020. In that case, an appeals court ruled that Apple does not have a monopoly in mobile games.
This latest ruling is another in a series of recent legal challenges Google has faced over its market practices. In August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google held an illegal monopoly in online search. Last month, arguments concluded in a similar case involving Google's dominance in the advertising technology market.
Critics argue that Google’s fees, which can reach up to 30% on app store transactions, have led to higher costs for consumers. Lee Hepner, Senior Legal Counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project, believes the ruling will encourage more developers to enter the market, ultimately driving down prices for consumers.
