A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Google must allow competitor technology firms to market their Android software in the Google Play Store for the next three years, starting Nov. 1, 2024. The order was part of a far-reaching ruling in a case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, which alleges Google exploited its dominance in app distribution and payments processing. A jury verdict last December still stands regarding violation of antitrust laws against Google by Epic.
Google will appeal and also seek a stay on the enforcement of changes, which it believes would compromise user privacy and security and make it challenging to push apps if rival ones get the podium through the Play Store.
But this is an important step forward in taking the competition issue in the technology ecosystem to court. The judgment does indeed insist that Google must make its app catalogue available to other app stores-an offer rarely made in antitrust cases but, according to the judge, necessary to restore the injury caused by the monopoly practices of Google.
The case is the latest in a long list of court battles that Google has faced in recent months; it has already been fined in August 2024, since it was ruled to possess an illegal monopoly in online search, and also a case filed with its dominance in the market for advertising technology.