A judge in the U.S. on Monday mandated that Alphabet’s Google revamp its mobile application division. This change is intended to provide Android users with broader choices for app downloads and in-app transaction payments, a decision following a verdict in favor of “Fortnite” creator Epic Games last year.
The directive from Judge James Donato of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco specified the alterations Google is required to make. These changes aim to foster increased competition within its profitable Play app store, including allowing access to Android apps from alternative platforms.
During a previous session, Donato announced his intention to form a trio of experts for a compliance and technical committee. This group’s purpose is to oversee the implementation and ongoing adherence to the court’s order.
In 2020, Epic Games launched a legal battle against Google, alleging that the tech giant monopolized the avenues through which Android device users obtain apps and conduct in-app payments.
In December 2023, the jury sided with Epic Games, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. They found that Google’s practices regarding app distribution and payment processing unjustly hinder competition, setting the stage for Donato’s ruling.
Google requested Donato to dismiss Epic’s suggested changes, arguing that they would be expensive, excessively limiting, and potentially detrimental to user privacy and security. However, the judge largely ignored these concerns in a hearing held in August.
“You’re going to end up paying something to make the world right after having been found to be a monopolist,” Donato remarked to Google’s legal team.
In a distinct antitrust lawsuit in Washington, Judge Amit Mehta ruled in favor of the U.S. Justice Department on August 5. He found that Google had unlawfully dominated the web search market, investing billions to secure its position as the default search engine on the internet.
Additionally, Google faced a trial in September in a Virginia federal court concerning a Justice Department lawsuit. This case addresses Google’s alleged dominance in advertising technology.
Despite these legal challenges, Google has consistently denied all allegations against it in these three distinct cases.
