A federal jury ruled on the Epic v. Google antitrust lawsuit in federal court Monday evening and decided that Google's Play Store app storehouse violated antitrust law. The jury also said that payment processing through Google's apps and the distribution of Android apps were run like monopolies. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the victory that eluded Epic when he sued Apple in 2021. On “X,” Sweeney tweeted: “Victory over
Google! After four weeks of detailed testimony in court, the California jury ruled against Google Play's monopoly on all counts. »
Google released a statement saying it would appeal the decision. Wilson White, vice president of government affairs and public policy at Google, said: “Android and Google Play offer more choice and openness than any other major mobile platform. The trial clearly showed that we are in fierce competition with Apple and its
App Store, as well as with app stores on Android devices and game consoles. We will continue to champion the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem.
The next stage of the trial will take place next year when a separate process will examine possible solutions that can be imposed on Google and its Play Store app storefront, and could change the way Google collects fees from developers, or force Google to make things easier. for Android users to access third-party app stores. It's worth noting that unlike iOS, Android allows users to download apps through a third-party app storefront.
Verdict form presented to the judge in the Epic v. Google
The whole battle took place in 2020 when Epic offered players of its popular game Fortnite the opportunity to purchase in-game currency directly from Epic at a discounted price. This violates Apple and Google rules that allow them to take up to 30% of the revenue generated by the app. Apple and Google both kicked Fortnite out of their app stores, leading the game's developer to sue Apple and Google.
In the Epic vs. Apple lawsuit, which was decided by a judge and not a jury, Apple was not declared a monopolist like Google was today. In its decision in Epic v. Apple Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote: “Given the trial record, the Court cannot ultimately conclude that Apple is a monopoly under federal or state antitrust laws. »
Like Apple did, Google complains that Epic took advantage of the high visibility of the Play Store without contributing to the platform's operating costs.
