Google and Epic Games have settled their antitrust lawsuit after years of battling over app distribution and payment systems. The companies filed a proposal to modify the original order imposed by US District Judge James Donato, which was handed down last year after the court sided with Epic Games.
The new agreement focuses on expanding developer choice, reducing fees, and encouraging competition while keeping users safe. Google will have to make significant changes to its Android ecosystem, including allowing third-party app stores to be installed on devices, reducing service fees for developers, and enabling alternative payment mechanisms.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the proposal, saying it "genuinely doubles down" on Android's original vision as an open platform. The company originally sued Google in 2020, alleging that the tech giant had created a monopoly over app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices.
The modified order will prohibit Google from paying manufacturers and app developers to exclusively install and distribute on the Play Store, or forcing developers to use its payment system. Instead, the company will have to allow third-party app stores to be installed on Android devices, and it will no longer be able to charge excessive fees for in-app purchases.
The proposal also includes a fee cap of 9% or 20%, depending on the type of transaction, with the commission caps only applying to new app installs. Additionally, users will have access to third-party stores that meet neutral criteria, allowing them to compete against the Play Store and each other globally.
Google's President of Android Ecosystem, Sameer Samat, said that the companies' proposal would resolve the "litigations" if approved by Judge Donato. The agreement marks a significant shift for Google, which has had to make major changes to its app distribution and payment systems in order to comply with the original order.
The Supreme Court's denial of Google's appeal earlier this year means that the company will have to follow most of Donato's orders under the new proposal. With this settlement, both parties can move forward, allowing developers to choose between multiple payment options and competing app stores, while ensuring users remain safe and secure.
The new agreement focuses on expanding developer choice, reducing fees, and encouraging competition while keeping users safe. Google will have to make significant changes to its Android ecosystem, including allowing third-party app stores to be installed on devices, reducing service fees for developers, and enabling alternative payment mechanisms.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the proposal, saying it "genuinely doubles down" on Android's original vision as an open platform. The company originally sued Google in 2020, alleging that the tech giant had created a monopoly over app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices.
The modified order will prohibit Google from paying manufacturers and app developers to exclusively install and distribute on the Play Store, or forcing developers to use its payment system. Instead, the company will have to allow third-party app stores to be installed on Android devices, and it will no longer be able to charge excessive fees for in-app purchases.
The proposal also includes a fee cap of 9% or 20%, depending on the type of transaction, with the commission caps only applying to new app installs. Additionally, users will have access to third-party stores that meet neutral criteria, allowing them to compete against the Play Store and each other globally.
Google's President of Android Ecosystem, Sameer Samat, said that the companies' proposal would resolve the "litigations" if approved by Judge Donato. The agreement marks a significant shift for Google, which has had to make major changes to its app distribution and payment systems in order to comply with the original order.
The Supreme Court's denial of Google's appeal earlier this year means that the company will have to follow most of Donato's orders under the new proposal. With this settlement, both parties can move forward, allowing developers to choose between multiple payment options and competing app stores, while ensuring users remain safe and secure.
this is huge news! finally google is being forced to open up its app store 
it's been a long time coming but i'm glad to see epic games getting the recognition they deserved for speaking out against google's monopoly 
the 9% fee cap on in-app purchases sounds like a win for devs too 
and yeah, users will have more options when it comes to payment methods and app stores 
this is all about competition and choice, which is what android was originally built for 
now let's see how google navigates these changes 
I'm kinda surprised they settled it so quickly. I mean, Epic Games was really pushing for a more open platform on Android, which is a big change for Google. But now that the proposal has been approved, I think it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out. More competition could be good for devs and users alike... we'll have to wait and see if it actually happens 
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. The original order was already a game-changer for Android devs, so it's only natural that Epic Games wanted to push for even more changes 
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. But overall, this settlement seems like a win-win for devs and users alike 
. Now we just have to wait and see how things play out in practice 
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. It's like they realized that fighting was just going to make the rest of us download apps from Apple 
. Now we get to enjoy more choice in terms of payment systems, which is awesome for devs who don't want to be stuck with Google's 30% cut 
. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good app store showdown? I'm just hoping this means we'll see some new players enter the game and shake things up 
. I mean Epic Games was totally right to take Google on over the app store thing, it's been a total monopoly situation. Now devs get more freedom and choices, which is awesome for them 
. But at the same time, I'm low-key glad that users are still gonna be safe and secure on their Android devices 
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- that's still kinda steep if you ask me 
. But hey, at least users will have some real choices now 
. now we can expect some pretty interesting changes in the android ecosystem 
! I guess you could say they "built a bridge" instead of fighting over it like a couple of Fortnite players 
. Who knew antitrust lawsuits could be so... entertaining? 
. It's a good reminder that too much control can be suffocating, let people choose and compete with each other, and you'll see amazing things happen 
. And at the end of the day, users are the ones who benefit from this new arrangement 
. Sometimes change is hard but it leads to growth and progress 
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. With more devs choosing to create apps that work with multiple stores and payment systems, we can expect even more innovative and diverse experiences for users 
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. It's been a wild ride watching these two giants go at it over the past few years. The new agreement is all about giving devs more control and options, which is pretty cool. Reduced fees for in-app purchases and alternative payment methods? Yes please! 
they gotta make some real changes 2 its android ecosystem 4 all us devs & users 2 have more choice & less fees 
, another big tech company getting told to shape up. Like, who doesn't love a good antitrust lawsuit? It's not like Google has been trying to strangle the competition with its Play Store for years or anything...