In a recent development, a federal judge has ruled that Google must allow more competition in its app store and provide Android users with greater flexibility in choosing and downloading apps.
Judge James Donato reached a final decision in the ongoing legal battle between Epic and Google, outlining the changes that Google must implement in its operation of Google Play.
As per the court order, Google is prohibited from incentivizing developers to release their apps exclusively on Google Play for the next three years, starting from November 1. Additionally, Google cannot mandate developers to use its billing system and must allow alternative payment methods to be communicated to users.
Furthermore, Google is required to allow third-party Android app stores to access the Google Play Store’s app catalog and include third-party apps within its own store.
In response to the ruling, Google announced its intention to appeal the decision and is seeking a halt to the mandated changes. Google argues that complying with the ruling could potentially undermine Android’s competitiveness against Apple’s iOS platform.
