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Judge Donato Orders Google to Open Android App Store to Rivals in Epic, Match Antitrust Case

Oct 7, 2024, 07:22 PM

U.S. District Judge James Donato has ordered Google to open up its Android app store, Google Play, to allow more competition from third-party app stores, following an antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic Games and Match Group. The ruling requires Google to make sweeping changes to its app store policies, including lifting restrictions that prevent developers from setting up rival marketplaces that compete with the Google Play Store. The changes are mandated to be in effect for three years. The decision comes after a jury found Google liable for violating antitrust laws earlier this year. Describing Google's Android app store as an "illegal monopoly," this landmark ruling aims to promote fair competition by allowing Android users to download apps and handle in-app transactions from competing platforms, significantly impacting Google's control over app distribution on its Android operating system.