Alphabet Inc.’s Google Appeals Antitrust Verdict, Halts Epic Games’ Proposed Changes
Following the antitrust verdict, Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google has made moves to halt changes proposed by Epic Games.
What Happened: In a blog post on Monday, Google said that it is appealing the court’s decision which requires it to open its Play Store to third-party marketplaces. Google is also requesting the court to suspend the Fortnite-maker’s demands to distribute competing app stores and modify its payment system. This approach mirrors Apple Inc.’s AAPL tactics during its legal dispute with Epic last year.
The tech giant argued that the ruling contradicts another court’s dismissal of similar claims Epic lodged against Apple. In its appeal, Google will contend that Android is not a standalone market but is in direct competition with Apple’s iOS. “Android has helped expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps. The initial decision and today’s Epic-requested changes put that at risk and undercut Android’s ability to compete with Apple’s iOS,” the company said.
Why It Matters: The creator of the globally popular game Fortnite, filed a new antitrust lawsuit against Google and Samsung last month, accusing them of antitrust violations. Epic alleged that the two tech giants conspired to shield the Google Play Store from competition, significantly limiting consumer choice. The lawsuit centers on Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature, which Epic claims was designed to deter users from downloading apps from sources other than Google’s Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store. In response to the lawsuit, Samsung released a statement rejecting Epic’s allegations as without merit.
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