Judge Tells Google: Stop Slow-Walking Rival Android App Stores
A San Francisco judge has ordered Google to make it simpler for Android users to install rival app stores, reigniting a legal battle many assumed had cooled after Epic Games and Google reached an apparent truce last month.
The order builds on a 2023 jury verdict that found Google ran an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution through Google Play. Judge James Donato had already directed Google to open up its app ecosystem, including hosting competing app stores within Play itself and giving them fuller access to Android's app catalog. Today's ruling signals the judge isn't satisfied with Google's compliance so far, reportedly telling the company its foot-dragging is 'not acceptable.'
The case has become one of the most consequential tests of how much control platform owners can exert over software distribution on their operating systems.