A federal judge has temporarily granted Google a bit of leniency in its legal battle with Epic Games over the Android app store. The move puts most of Google’s requirements for opening up the Play Store on hold.
Judge James Donato, who had previously ruled that Google’s Android app store constituted an illegal monopoly, agreed to push back the deadline for enforcing significant changes to its rules. This delay will give time for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review Google’s request for a longer-term stay. The original deadline, set for November 1st, 2024, would have required Google to open its Play Store to competitors, allowing developers to bypass Google’s Play Billing system and potentially leading to the pre-installation of rival app stores on Android devices. With a current pause and Google pushing for a longer pause, Google may not have to go forward with any court orders until its appeal is seen.
Judge Donato’s decision temporarily halts all but one aspect of the court’s order. Google is still required to refrain from making agreements with carriers or device manufacturers that restrict the pre-installation of rival app stores. This part of the ruling will begin on November 1st, 2024, and last until November 1st, 2027. This was one of the main points against Google and part of the reason it was deemed a Monopoly. This may open the door to other app stores to get a foothold in Android.
\While the temporary stay does not guarantee a complete victory for Google, it lets the company continue operating in a way that was deemed Monopolistic until the pause is lifted. This means that customers, developers, and users who were awaiting the implementation of the original court order will have to wait an unspecified amount of time. This also means that Microsoft’s plans to start opening Xbox game purchases through its Android app and Epic’s intention to launch the Epic Games Store on Google Play may also have to wait. It’s now up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to decide whether to grant Google a longer-term stay, which could potentially delay the court’s order for years.
Source: The Verge
