UPDATE 18/10/24: As per The Verge, the US courts have effectively paused the Epic Vs Google verdict to allow for Google’s appeal to play out.
So the proposed solutions around allowing competitors into Google’s Play store and the various other measures proposed – as outlined here – will no longer come into effect on November 1, as originally planned. We’ll update this story with any more fresh info.
ORIGINAL STORY 08/10/24: Google has quickly hit back at yesterday’s US court ruling designed to open up the Play store to greater competition.
The tech giant quickly voiced its concerns over the ruling in a blog post published shortly after the US court announced how it wants Google’s Play store to change.
Google’s regulatory affairs VP Lee-Anne Mulholland said that opening up the Play store could put consumers’ privacy and security at risk, make it harder for developers to promote their apps, and reduce competition on devices.
She also noted that the changes and the verdict is “completely contrary to another court’s rejection of similar claims Epic made against Apple”.
“Unlike iOS, Android is an open platform that has always allowed for choice and flexibility like multiple app stores and sideloading,” Mulholland said.
The appeal intends to show that Apple and Google compete directly for customers and app developers, and that Android is “open” and “not the only way to get apps”.
Google’s Mulholland added: “Android has helped expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps. The initial decision and today’s Epic-requested changes put that at risk and undercut Android’s ability to compete with Apple’s iOS.”
Yesterday, the US court that oversaw Epic’s successful case against Google outlined how the Play store must change in order to increase competition.
The measures, only applicable in the US for the next three years, will force Google Play to offer alternative payment systems, host competing storefronts and reduce anti-steering measures designed to stop users moving outside the Play ecosystem.
It’ll also force Google to offer its entire apps catalogue to competitors for the period in question. There’s more detail on all that here.
