Google has settled with video game creator and publisher Epic Games, agreeing to reforms across Android and the Play Store which are designed to lower fees, boost competition, and expand choices for developers and consumers.
In a joint filing in San Francisco’s federal court, both companies asked U.S. District Judge James Donato to consider a proposal resolving the 2020 lawsuit, in which Epic Games accused Google of illegally monopolizing how users access and make purchases within apps. Google has denied any wrongdoing.
As Reuters pointed out, this would require Donato’s approval, who oversaw the 2023 jury trial that Epic Games won and issued an injunction that mandated reforms to the Play Store that Google claimed went too far. Google tried to challenge the injunction in a federal appeals court, but the court upheld the ruling in July. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court also declined Google’s request to temporarily freeze parts of the injunction.
The new proposal would make it easier for users to download and install third-party app stores that meet new safety and security standards.
Devs would now be allowed to direct users to alternative payment methods through apps or via a third-party web link. Google said it would implement a capped service fee (either nine per cent or 20 per cent) on transactions from apps distributed through the Play Store. These fees will apply to apps installed or updated on the Play Store after October 30.
If approved, the deal would also resolve a separate lawsuit Epic Games filed this year against both Google and Samsung over app downloads. Epic Games settled with Samsung back in July.
Google has been involved in several major lawsuits in recent years, including one in which the tech giant settled with 36 U.S. States over its alleged control over the Android app ecosystem.
Source: Reuters
