Google will be required to allow third-party app stores onto its Google Play Store in future, thanks to a court ruling handed down in California, United States. The decision was confirmed by Judge James Donato, after Epic Games won its four-year antitrust battle against Google, with the aim of reducing monopoly powers in the market.
As part of the lawsuit, not only will Google be required to allow third-party app stores onto its store, and give them access to the full catalogue of Google Play, it will also be subject to a range of other measures.
From 1 November 2024 (and for three years following), Google will no longer be able to pay for exclusive apps for the Play Store, pay companies to not complete with Google Play, require Google Play billing for apps on the store, or offer incentives to pre-install its store on new devices, amongst other rules.
A committee formed by Google and Epic Games will review compliance, to ensure Google remains in-line with the judge’s ruling.
“The Epic Games Store and other app stores are coming to the Google Play Store in 2025 in the USA – without Google’s scare screens and Google’s 30% app tax – thanks to victory in Epic v Google,” Tim Sweeney, CEO and founder of Epic Games said.
Read: Epic Games files new lawsuit against Google and Samsung
As part its lawsuit, Epic Games successfully argued that Google and its dealmakers had essentially stifled competition by reducing opportunities for third-party app stores and developers. The judge’s ruling aims to address these concerns by providing remedies that will open the market for everyone.
“Even a corporate behemoth like Amazon could not compete with the Google Play Store due to network effects,” Judge Donato said of the reasons for the ruling.
Per The Verge, Epic Games didn’t get everything it wanted – it aimed to place six years of restrictions on Google – but many of its key asks were addressed in this ruling.
Google has said it will appeal the decision, claiming it will cause “a range of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers and device makers.”
