developer agreements

On September 24, Google requested the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a lower court's ruling that requires changes to its app store policies, citing concerns about "irreparable harm" to itself and the Android ecosystem. This ruling, stemming from an antitrust lawsuit by Epic Games, mandates that the Google Play store eliminate restrictions preventing developers from creating their own marketplaces and billing systems, with the order set to take effect on October 22. Epic Games argues that Google's practices monopolize app access and in-app payments on Android devices. A jury found in December 2023 that Google held a monopoly in the Android app distribution and payments market. A judge's ruling in October 2024 requires Google to implement policy changes, including prohibiting exclusive developer agreements, allowing developers to inform consumers about direct downloads, stopping mandatory use of its billing features, and granting rival app stores access to Google's catalog. Google's appeal against the ruling was unsuccessful, and the company expressed concerns about user safety and innovation in the Android ecosystem.