Epic Games has won a significant legal victory against Google, with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a 2023 jury verdict that found Google’s app store and payments system to be illegal monopolies. This decision could lead to a permanent injunction forcing Google to open up Android to third-party app stores, significantly altering the Android ecosystem. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney declared the appeal a ‘total victory,’ and Epic plans to introduce its own app store within Google Play. The injunction would require Google to allow rival app stores, access to the full Google Play app catalog, and prohibit certain anti-competitive practices like mandatory use of Google Play Billing. Google plans to continue appealing, possibly to the Supreme Court, arguing that the decision could harm user safety, choice, and innovation. The case highlights the distinct market differences between Google’s open Android ecosystem and Apple’s closed system, with the court recognizing Google’s monopoly in Android app distribution and in-app billing markets.
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