In response to Epic's court triumph, Google is hurriedly bracing for a last-minute stopgap action
Following a court ruling in favour of Epic Games, Google is required to make significant changes to the Play Store and Android ecosystem over the next three years. These changes are antitrust remedies ordered by the court as a result of the court case between Google and Epic Games.
The changes include allowing other app stores to appear inside the Google Play Store, permitting developers to use their own payment systems rather than being forced to use Google’s billing service and pay its fees, and allowing apps to link to outside download options. Google cannot offer special incentives to phone makers or carriers to prevent them from installing competing app stores.
The deadline for Google to implement these changes was initially set at 14 days following the court ruling, but an emergency stay has been granted, extending the deadline by a week, making it 21 days. Google has requested a stay to delay enforcement, citing the risk of instability across millions of users and developers, but it is expected that all mandated changes must be fully implemented within the three-year injunction period.
One of the changes that may not take effect immediately is the hosting of third-party app stores on the Play Store itself. For example, the Epic Games Store may not appear on Google Play until 2026 at the earliest. Developers have full control over how they price their apps within the Play Store, and they are allowed to inform users about alternative payment methods within the Play Store.
Google is not currently obligated to allow the Epic Games Store on Google Play Store. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2024 verdict in Epic's case against Google. Google can no longer pay phone makers, carriers, or developers for exclusivity or preinstallation deals.
The emergency stay, if granted, would give Google an extra week to implement the required changes. The initial report of the 14-day deadline was made by The Verge, and a new update from The Verge reports that the emergency stay has been granted, extending the deadline by a week.
[1] The Verge. (2021). Google is being forced to allow sideloading and third-party payments on Android. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/9/22848130/google-play-store-epic-games-antitrust-court-decision
[2] The Verge. (2022). Google is now required to make changes to Google Play Store and Android within 14 days following the court ruling. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/28/22936619/google-play-store-app-store-epic-games-antitrust-court-decision-changes
[3] The Verge. (2022). Google requests an emergency stay to delay the implementation of the required changes. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/10/22941086/google-play-store-app-store-epic-games-antitrust-court-decision-emergency-stay
[4] The Verge. (2022). The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2024 verdict in Epic's case against Google. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/10/22941086/google-play-store-app-store-epic-games-antitrust-court-decision-emergency-stay
[1] The upcoming changes in the Google Play Store, ordered by the court, will allow developers to use their own payment systems in their business operations, which is a significant shift in the finance sector of the Android ecosystem.
[2] These antitrust remedies, which are part of the case between Google and Epic Games, also include permitting apps to link to outside download options, a move that underscores the impact of technology in the evolving business landscape of the Play Store.
