Judges Decision
The ruling in the case came from Judge Margaret McKeown of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday.
“It is well established that antitrust remedies can and often must proscribe otherwise lawful conduct to unwind and further prevent violators’ anticompetitive activity,” McKeown wrote for the unanimous panel. “The district court had within its basket of remedial powers the authority to require Google to deal with parties harmed by its anticompetitive conduct, including its competitors.”
Google to Challenge Decision
While the court will "uphold the injunction in full," Google will appeal the decision.
“This decision will significantly harm user safety, limit choice and undermine the innovation that has always been central to the Android ecosystem,” Google’s Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, told The Verge.
“Our top priority remains protecting our users, developers and partners, and maintaining a secure platform as we continue our appeal.”
This lawsuit began after Fortnite was removed from the Google and Apple app stores. There was a ruling in 2023 in Epic Games' favor, though.
“Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation,” Epic Games said.
There's been no release date announced for the Epic Games Store launching on the Google Play Store just yet.
