Google has been ordered by U.S. District Judge James Donato to make it easier for mobile app store developers to sell to users of phones and tablets that use the company’s Android software, giving “Fortnite” developer Epic Games the win in its antitrust suit. Google reportedly plans to appeal the ruling.
Google is ordered to allow third parties to access the company’s Play Store catalog of apps to build competing offerings, and is prohibited from paying incentives either to app developers to release an app first or exclusively on its Play Store, or to device manufacturers to pre-load the Google Play Store or not pre-load a competing app store.
The injunction is scheduled to take effect in November, but a Google spokesperson said the company is asking that the court “pause implementing the remedies to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers as the legal process moves forward.”
Epic will launch its own app store through the Play Store next year, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said.
Ted Miracco, CEO of Approov, a mobile app market and security expert, offers this comment:
“This ruling is a significant step toward reshaping the mobile app economy globally. While the immediate impact is US focused and centered on app developers avoiding high fees on Android, the long-term implications could be transformative. We may see a shift toward either a direct-to-consumer model or the rise of alternative app stores, not only on Android but potentially across both Android and iOS globally. These changes may fundamentally alter the balance of power between app developers and platform owners. They can also foster greater competition, innovation, security and consumer choice in the mobile ecosystem.
“In addition to this ruling, there is mounting pressure on the mobile app duopoly of Google and Apple from multiple fronts. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC), and U.S. antitrust efforts—both through private litigation and the Department of Justice—are collectively (!) working to dismantle the stranglehold these companies have on app distribution. These efforts represent a serious threat to the vast profits generated by the App Store and Play Store.
“The dominance of these platforms not only inflates costs for consumers but also stifles innovation and undermines security and privacy by concentrating control in the hands of a few. Breaking up these dual monopolies could lead to a more open and competitive ecosystem that better serves developers and consumers alike.”
This is still subject to appeal, so Mr. Sweeney shouldn’t pop the champagne yet. But if this goes through, this would be a seismic shift in terms of the app economy.
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This entry was posted on October 8, 2024 at 4:41 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Google. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Google Could Be Forced To Allow Third Parties To Access The Play Store
Google has been ordered by U.S. District Judge James Donato to make it easier for mobile app store developers to sell to users of phones and tablets that use the company’s Android software, giving “Fortnite” developer Epic Games the win in its antitrust suit. Google reportedly plans to appeal the ruling.
Google is ordered to allow third parties to access the company’s Play Store catalog of apps to build competing offerings, and is prohibited from paying incentives either to app developers to release an app first or exclusively on its Play Store, or to device manufacturers to pre-load the Google Play Store or not pre-load a competing app store.
The injunction is scheduled to take effect in November, but a Google spokesperson said the company is asking that the court “pause implementing the remedies to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers as the legal process moves forward.”
Epic will launch its own app store through the Play Store next year, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said.
Ted Miracco, CEO of Approov, a mobile app market and security expert, offers this comment:
“This ruling is a significant step toward reshaping the mobile app economy globally. While the immediate impact is US focused and centered on app developers avoiding high fees on Android, the long-term implications could be transformative. We may see a shift toward either a direct-to-consumer model or the rise of alternative app stores, not only on Android but potentially across both Android and iOS globally. These changes may fundamentally alter the balance of power between app developers and platform owners. They can also foster greater competition, innovation, security and consumer choice in the mobile ecosystem.
“In addition to this ruling, there is mounting pressure on the mobile app duopoly of Google and Apple from multiple fronts. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC), and U.S. antitrust efforts—both through private litigation and the Department of Justice—are collectively (!) working to dismantle the stranglehold these companies have on app distribution. These efforts represent a serious threat to the vast profits generated by the App Store and Play Store.
“The dominance of these platforms not only inflates costs for consumers but also stifles innovation and undermines security and privacy by concentrating control in the hands of a few. Breaking up these dual monopolies could lead to a more open and competitive ecosystem that better serves developers and consumers alike.”
This is still subject to appeal, so Mr. Sweeney shouldn’t pop the champagne yet. But if this goes through, this would be a seismic shift in terms of the app economy.
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This entry was posted on October 8, 2024 at 4:41 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Google. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.