Google has officially requested a U.S. appeals court to block an order mandating significant changes to its Play Store, as the tech giant continues to fight a lengthy antitrust battle initiated by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games. The appeal, filed late Wednesday, seeks to pause U.S. District Judge James Donato’s October 7 ruling, which requires Google to revamp its app store to encourage greater competition.
The decision is part of an ongoing case that claims Google has been monopolizing the Android software distribution market, unfairly controlling how users purchase app-related content. The court’s ruling could potentially force Google to allow third-party app stores on Play and make its extensive library of over two million apps available to competitors.
Google argues that implementing such sweeping changes by the November 1 deadline presents significant risks. In a statement, the company warned that the order would disrupt Android users, developers, and manufacturers, all of whom have relied on Android to build thriving businesses. Google’s lawyers added that the tight timeline increases the chances of “unacceptable safety and security failures” in the Android ecosystem.
To bolster its appeal, Google has enlisted high-profile legal experts, including Neal Katyal from Hogan Lovells, to challenge the order in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A hearing on Google’s request to stay the order is scheduled for Friday.
Epic Games, however, insists that the changes are necessary to break Google’s dominance. A spokesperson for Epic criticized Google’s efforts to delay, stating, “This is Google’s last-ditch attempt to preserve their grip on Android and continue extracting exorbitant fees. The court’s injunction must take effect swiftly to ensure developers and consumers benefit from true competition in the mobile ecosystem.”
Epic had previously succeeded in convincing a federal jury in December that Google was unlawfully monopolizing Android software distribution. However, the company lost a similar case against Apple in 2020, although Apple was ordered to make smaller-scale changes to its App Store.
The outcome of this legal battle could reshape how app stores operate across the tech landscape, setting significant precedents for future competition in the mobile industry.
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