The changes are on hold pending the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling on Google’s request for an additional stay while it appeals the case.
A federal judge temporarily blocked a court order that could have forced Google To change a lot about the Play Store in its ongoing battle with Epic Games, an antitrust lawsuit has been filed over Google’s control of the Android app market.
On October 7, a US District Judge named James Donato issued an injunction requiring Google to allow alternative payment systems to be available within apps and prohibiting it from paying device makers to pre-install Google Play. Store. This could have disrupted Google’s Play Store, which rakes in around $14.66 billion a year. Google argued that implementing those changes too quickly would pose serious security and privacy risks for Android users.
The changes are on hold pending the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling on Google’s request for an additional stay while it appeals the case. But one part of the original order remains: As of November 1, Google cannot tie payment or revenue-sharing agreements to the exclusive and conditional pre-installation of its Play Store. That part of the precautionary measure lasts three years and ends on November 1, 2027.
The case is the result of a 2023 ruling in which Google was deemed to have a stranglehold on the Android app market. Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite,” had filed a lawsuit alleging that Google’s business practices unfairly tipped the scales against competition and harmed consumers.
While acknowledging the brief respite, Google warns that Epic’s lawsuits may jeopardize the security of the Android ecosystem as a whole. In retaliation, Epic Games accused Google of using “dubious security risks” to defend its hegemony in the Android app market.
As a result, both Google’s business strategy and the future of the Android app market will be significantly affected by the appeals court’s decision.
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