Earlier triumph in lawsuit leads to Epic Games Store's entry on Google Play.
In a landmark decision, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a 2023 jury verdict and permanent injunction against Google. The ruling found that Google's app store policies violated federal and state antitrust laws in the Android app distribution and in-app billing markets, favouring Epic Games [1][2][3].
The court's decision specifically allows Epic Games to offer its own Android app store, the Epic Games Store, within the Google Play Store. This means Google must permit alternative app stores on its platform, thereby restoring market competition [1][3].
Google had argued that the original trial had legal errors, but the court rejected this claim and affirmed the injunction ordering Google to overhaul its Play Store policies that were deemed anticompetitive. These policies included restrictions that previously blocked Epic's app store from Google Play [3][4][1].
As a result, Google must now allow third-party app stores like Epic's to be available through its official Play Store interface. This ruling alters the monopoly-like control Google held over app distribution on Android devices [3][4][1].
The decision marks a significant shift in the Android app ecosystem, aiming to restore competitive conditions by diminishing Google's exclusive app distribution power [2][4].
Richard Janvrin, a seasoned sports coverage and iGaming journalist, has been closely following the developments. With a career that started in 2015, Janvrin has covered various aspects of iGaming, including news, reviews, bonuses/promotions, sweepstakes casinos, and legal matters. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire and entered the iGaming space in 2018 [5].
In an unexpected twist, Google has announced plans to appeal the court's ruling, despite it being unanimous against them. However, the Epic Games Store is expected to become available on Google Play following the court victory [6].
Janvrin, who began writing as a teenager, has been reporting on the iGaming industry's response to the ruling. As the industry adapts to the changes, it remains to be seen how this decision will reshape the Android app market.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-faces-change-android-app-distribution-following-antitrust-court-ruling-2023-06-15/ [2] https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/15/23182936/google-play-store-epic-games-store-antitrust-court-ruling [3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-15/google-loses-appeal-on-epic-games-antitrust-ruling-in-app-store [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/technology/google-epic-games-antitrust.html [5] https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjanvrin/ [6] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/06/15/google-faces-change-in-android-app-distribution-following-antitrust-court-ruling
The court's decision allows the Epic Games Store to be available within the Google Play Store, marking a shift in the Android app ecosystem. Google plans to appeal the ruling, despite the unanimous verdict against them.
