New York: Google has been ordered by a U.S. federal judge to allow apps from rival tech companies on its Play Store for the next three years. This ruling, set to take effect next month, is part of a broader antitrust case involving Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite.
This order is the latest legal blow suffered by Google in recent years on competition grounds.
Judge James Donato has ordered several remedies in the case, including requiring Google to allow apps from rival tech firms on the Play Store. In response, Google plans to appeal the ruling and request a delay in the implementation of the ordered remedies.
In December 2023, a jury sided with Epic, which says Google had unfairly used its dominance to maintain a monopoly, restricting competition in the app distribution market.
Google said in a statement that, “The changes would put consumers’ privacy and security at risk, make it harder for developers to promote their apps, and reduce competition on devices.”
Legal experts view the ruling as a significant challenge to the control of large tech companies.
Among the remedies, Judge Donato ordered Google to allow its app catalog to be accessible through competing app stores.
Google argued that the Play Store operates in a competitive environment, pointing to its rivalry with Apple, which faced a similar suit in 2020.
In other antitrust cases, Google has been accused of monopolistic practices in both online search and advertising technology markets. In August, US District Judge Amit Mehta sided with the US Department of Justice, which accused the company of operating an illegal monopoly in online search.
Last month, District Judge Leonie Brinkema finished hearing arguments over similar government allegations that Google dominates the advertising technology market.
These changes will take effect next month, marking a significant shift in how Android’s ecosystem operates.
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