The Google Play Store has rules against developers promoting their apps outside of the Android store or using payment methods other than Play Billing. However, that’s about to change. A long legal battle has finally come to an end, with the US court ruling that Google has held an illegal monopoly on Android apps.
Google Has an Illegal Monopoly on App Stores, Says the US Court
As spotted by The Verge, the ruling came after a four-year-long court battle with Epic vs. Google. The lawsuit began when Epic accused Google’s Play Store practices of being unlawful after the former tried to get the hit videogame Fortnite onto Android devices.
Epic’s main issue with the Google Play Store was the 30% cut that Google took from each sale. Epic began selling digital Fortnite currency (called “Vbucks”) using in-app third-party payment methods to combat this. This violated Google’s terms, which ended in Fortnite being booted off the Play Store in retaliation, which triggered the lawsuit.
Fast forward to today, and Epic has won its fight against Google after the US Court ruled that the latter had established an illegal monopoly. From November 1st, 2024 to November 1st, 2027, Google now has to abide by these rules:
- Stop requiring Google Play Billing for apps distributed on the Google Play Store (the jury found that Google had illegally tied its payment system to its app store)
- Let Android developers tell users about other ways to pay from within the Play Store
- Let Android developers link to ways to download their apps outside of the Play Store
- Let Android developers set their own prices for apps irrespective of Play Billing
The ruling also prevented Google from incentivizing developers to use the Play Store over others. For example, Google cannot offer money or perks to developers to launch their apps on the Play Store first, and neither can it pay phone makers to pre-install the Play Store app on their phones.
What Does This Change Mean for Android Users?
For now, you shouldn’t notice any difference with the Play Store. The new rules come into effect on November 1st, so there’s a good chance Google will enforce its current rules to the bitter end.
Once November 1st hits, you’ll likely see a wave of changes across the Play Store. Not only will third-party Android app stores be allowed in, but your favorite apps may begin offering you payment methods outside of Google Pay. It’ll be a good change for consumers, so keep an eye on your apps when November 1st arrives and see how they change.
