The Android App Store may now be forced to make some major changes after the ruling, including opening up to other app stores owned by third parties. This was always frowned upon by Google but now it seems like it may have no other choice.
The list of controversial changes entails allowing so many third-party app stores to be present on Google Play in the next couple of years as per a new injunction rolled out on Thursday. Additionally, third-party Android stores will get permission to access its catalog of applications. This would break down any of the app ecosystem which guards it from others.
Other changes that might come into play include promoting healthy competition. By this, we mean enabling other app stores on Android to emerge. Previously, the company had contracts in place to stop this from happening.
"The Epic verdict missed the obvious: Apple and Android clearly compete. We will appeal and ask the courts to pause implementing the remedies to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers as the legal process moves forward.", expressed Google in a blog post.
The court has similarly ruled against any form of deals that comprise revenue sharing linked to Google Play. Amongst those will include contracts with device manufacturers at Android that force pre-installing of Google Play on any device.
The news comes as the Epic Games antitrust lawsuit picks up the pace against the search engine giant, going as far back as 2020. During this time, Google removed Fortnite from its Play Store after Epic put another mode of payment. As a result, Google was denied a share of the revenue.
Thankfully, the court ruled against Google and Epic won the battle. The next couple of months were spent on finding out a solution. Now, the latest court order means forcing Google to open new in-app systems for payment on the Play Store. To be more exact, for three years, Google hasn’t prevented developers from interacting with users about the pricing of apps outside the Play Store.
As far as when the changes will come into play, the court says it’s giving Google three years. They want to see the tech giant become a team player by leveling the playing field. This means saying hello to competition and new rivals in the tech industry.
Many experts are questioning why only three years. In response to that, the court says that it does not wish to burden or constrain Google as a competitor.
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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
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