Google Ordered to Open Android to Rival App Stores
A US federal court ruled that Google must open its Android operating system to rival app stores after losing an appeal in an antitrust case filed by Epic Games. This ruling allows the Epic Games shop to operate within the Google Play Store despite Google’s requirement for apps to use its payment system.
US Ninth Circuit Court Judge Margaret McKeown upheld the original verdict, stating that the parameters were supported by the market’s nature. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the decision as a “total victory” against Google.
Google plans to continue its appeal to the US Supreme Court, with Lee-Anne Mulholland, the company’s global head of regulatory affairs, expressing concerns about user safety, choice, and innovation being compromised.
Feudal Security
The Electronic Frontier Foundation argued that competition, not monopoly, would enhance user safety. The group criticized tech giants like Google for offering “feudal security,” where users rely on a monopolist for safety guarantees.
The judge’s order aims to level the playing field for rival app stores in the Android ecosystem, promoting better vetting and curation policies. This decision stemmed from Google’s loss in an antitrust case brought by Epic, which accused Google of wielding illegal monopoly power through the Android Play Store.
A similar legal battle between Epic and Apple involved Fortnite’s attempt to bypass payment systems on the App Store. Despite facing legal challenges, Fortnite returned to the App Store in the US in May after being banned for years.
Epic has been in a legal battle with Apple since 2021 over App Store policies, with Apple appealing aspects of the case despite a ruling that the App Store is not a monopoly.
