antitrust violations Archives

BetaBeacon

November 6, 2025

Google’s settlement with Epic Games may lead to changes for Android devs

Google settled a lawsuit with Epic Games regarding antitrust violations related to the Google Play Store. As part of the settlement, Google proposed changes to the Play Store, including allowing Android developers to offer alternative payment methods and introducing capped service fees on transactions. The changes aim to provide developers with more choices, reduce fees, promote healthy competition, and maintain user safety. The settlement proposal is pending approval from US District Judge James Donato.

BetaBeacon

August 15, 2025

What Do the Epic Games’ Lawsuits Against Apple and Google Say About the DOJ’s Apple Case?

Epic Games filed lawsuits against Apple and Google in 2020 for restricting users' access to Epic's offerings through third-party app stores. The Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Epic against Google, finding antitrust violations, while Epic lost the federal antitrust case against Apple. The Department of Justice also filed a lawsuit against Apple under Section 2 of the Sherman Act for monopolization. Apple's closed system was found to be successful, while Google's open-source system faced legal challenges. The court in the Google Play case issued remedies targeting exclusivity, which could lead to better user experiences and lower prices.

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

Google loses app store antitrust appeal, must make sweeping changes to Play Store

Epic Games initiated a legal dispute against Google and Apple over a 30 percent sales commission. A ruling by Judge Margaret McKeown upheld a jury's verdict, confirming antitrust violations by Google and supporting an injunction to change app distribution practices. The ruling indicates that Google's anticompetitive behavior has solidified its market dominance. Google is considering appealing to the US Supreme Court but has secured a suspension of a 2024 order during the appeal process. The ruling requires Google to stop enforcing its Play billing system, allow third-party payment options, and make its Play Store catalog available through alternative app stores. Additionally, Google must permit third-party app stores within its Play environment. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced plans to launch the Epic Games Store on Google Play following the ruling.