app purchases

A federal judge in California, U.S. District Judge James Donato, has granted Google a temporary reprieve from an order requiring significant changes to its Android app store, Play, due to an antitrust lawsuit from Epic Games. The enforcement of the required changes has been postponed until November 1st for further legal review. The injunction issued on October 7th mandated enhancements to consumer options for downloading software, but Google argued that these changes could jeopardize safety, security, and privacy. The ruling allows the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review Google's request to suspend the order, although the suspension does not extend to Google's broader appeal. Epic Games criticized the ruling as procedural and accused Google of using fear tactics to maintain its market position. The lawsuit previously found that Google unlawfully monopolized app download methods and in-app purchases on Android devices, leading to the order that included allowing third-party app stores and alternative payment methods. Google has appealed the jury's findings, asserting competition with Apple's App Store and disputing claims of monopolistic behavior.