(Photo by Yasin Baturhan Ergin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A US judge is ordering Google to open up its Android app store, Google Play, after a jury found the tech giant is running an illegal monopoly.
The controversial changes include allowing third-party app stores to be available on Google Play for the next three years, according to an injunction issued Thursday. In addition, third-party Android stores will be able to offer access to Google Play’s catalog of apps, breaking down the wall to the company’s app ecosystem.
Other changes address how Google used various deals and contractual systems to prevent rival Android app stores from emerging. In response, the injunction restricts the company from striking revenue-sharing deals related to Google Play, including agreements with Android device manufacturers to pre-install Google Play on their devices.
The injunction arises from Epic Games' antitrust lawsuit against Google, which dates back to 2020. At the time, Google pulled Fortnite from the Play Store after Epic added a direct payment option, thereby denying Google a cut of the revenues. Last December, a jury ruled in Epic's favor, which led to the court spending the next several months deciding on the remedies.
As part of Monday’s order, the judge is also requiring Google to open up the in-app payment system for the Play Store. "For a period of three years ending on November 1, 2027, Google may not prohibit a developer from communicating with users about the availability or pricing of an app outside the Google Play Store,” the injunction adds.
According to court documents, Google will need to carry out the changes over the next three years to help “level the playing field for the entry and growth of rivals, without burdening Google excessively.”
In explaining why the changes will only be court-mandated for three years, US District Judge James Donato wrote: “As competition comes into play and the network effects that Google Play unfairly enjoys are abated, Google should not be unduly constrained as a competitor.”
The ruling is a huge blow to Google’s grip over the Android app ecosystem, but Google plans to appeal. “The Epic verdict missed the obvious: Apple and Android clearly compete. We will appeal and ask the courts to pause implementing the remedies to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers as the legal process moves forward,” the company wrote in a blog post.
The injunction is set to take effect on Nov. 1 if a pause isn't granted.