The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected Google's appeal concerning its Play Store practices, affirming a jury's ruling that found antitrust violations by Google. Epic Games alleged that Google's control over app distribution restricted competition and limited alternative options. The ruling mandates changes to Google’s app store to allow rival stores and enhance competitive access. The appellate judges noted compelling evidence of Google’s anticompetitive actions. Google claimed these changes could harm user safety and innovation in the Android ecosystem, indicating plans to keep appealing the decision.
The legal dispute, initiated by Epic in 2020, accused Google of monopolizing the distribution and payment processing of Android apps. Epic alleged that Google's control over the Play Store restricted competition by limiting alternative app store access and in-app transaction options.
A San Francisco jury sided with Epic in 2023, determining that Google had violated antitrust laws. U.S. District Judge James Donato responded to the jury's verdict by ordering Google to make substantial changes to its Play Store.
The appellate panel stated that the case presented abundant evidence of Google's anticompetitive behavior that reinforced its market dominance. Judge McKeown noted that extensive proceedings had been conducted before the injunction was issued.
Google argued that the changes imposed by the court would negatively impact user safety and reduce consumer choice. Lee-Anne Mulholland, the company's vice president of regulatory affairs, stated that the decision would significantly hinder user security and innovation within the Android ecosystem.
Collection
[
|
...
]