A permanent injunction has been issued against Google, forcing the company to open its Play Store to competitors for a period of three years. The ruling, handed down by US District Judge James Donato, is the result of a four-year antitrust battle between Google and Epic Games. Google has announced plans to appeal the decision, citing concerns about competition with Apple and potential security risks.
As part of the injunction, Google will be required to grant third-party app stores access to its Play Store library, allowing them to make their stores available for download within the Play Store. Additionally, the company will no longer be able to make exclusive deals with developers to launch apps on the Play Store or preinstall its store on new hardware.
The ruling also addresses billing practices, with Google prohibited from requiring developers to use its own billing system. Developers will now be free to offer alternative payment options to users, and Google will not be able to prevent them from notifying users about these options.
To ensure compliance with the ruling, a three-person committee will be established, comprising representatives from Google and Epic. The committee will monitor Google’s compliance and address any technical issues that may arise.
In response to the ruling, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, argued that the decision fails to take into account the open nature of the Android platform, which already allows developers to distribute their apps through multiple channels. Mulholland pointed out that many Android devices come preloaded with multiple app stores, and that developers have always had the option to distribute their apps through alternative channels.
The decision follows a jury verdict in December, which found Google’s Play Store to be in violation of US antitrust laws. The verdict stated that Google held an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing for Android devices, and that its deals with other gaming companies and device manufacturers were anti-competitive.
