The future of Google’s app store is at stake in a lawsuit by Fortnite publisher Epic Games. Epic sued Google in 2020 after a fight over in-app purchase fees, claiming the Android operating system’s Google Play store constituted an unlawful monopoly. It wanted Google to make using third-party app stores, sideloaded apps, and non-Google payment processors easier — while Google said its demands would damage Android’s ability to offer a secure user experience and compete with Apple’s iOS. On December 11th 2023, the jury ruled in Epic’s favor, finding that Google has turned its Google Play app store and Google Play Billing service into an illegal monopoly, answering yes to every question in front of them about Google’s monopoly power, anticompetitive behavior, and the illegal ties between the different parts of its business. Here’s a rough summary of why the jury might have decided that way. In October 2024, the judge issued his final, potentially monumental decision — cracking the Google Play Store open to rival stores for three years, among many other things. Google has successfully appealed all but one part of that decision. But Google and Epic have proposed a settlement that could reduce Google’s app store fees worldwide, and now, approval is in the court’s hands. Wondering why Google lost when Apple won? Here’s an attempt to answer that question. Disclosure: Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company, has filed a lawsuit against Google, seeking damages from its illegal ad tech monopoly. Follow along with all of our updates below.
