Google v Epic: Court dispute goes to the Supreme Court

The legal dispute between Epic and Google is heading to the US Supreme Court: Google intends to appeal to the Supreme Court against the ruling that a judge made in favor of Epic Games in December 2023. According to the judgement, Google would have to open its Play Store to alternative stores.

Google wants to prevent this at all costs. In August, however, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Google's appeal in the app store dispute. Now Google wants to try the Supreme Court, reports The Verge. On the one hand, Google is asking the US Supreme Court to suspend the injunctions of the 2023 judgement for now. The Supreme Court is to decide on this by 17 October. Google then intends to officially appeal to the Supreme Court by October 27.

Injunctions not implemented since 2023

In December 2023, a jury found in favor of Epic on all counts after the company behind “Fortnite” and the Unreal Engine accused Google of exploiting its Android monopoly and anti-business practices in court.

A few months later, Judge James Donato set out the consequences of this judgement: Google must open up its Play Store to alternative stores. In addition, all apps must also be available in alternative stores by default as long as the developers do not actively refuse to do so. So far, these rulings have not been implemented because Google has repeatedly postponed them with appeals.

Google sees business model jeopardised

Google's Android business model is largely based on commissions, which Google collects from every purchase made via the Play Store. Alternative app stores threaten this system. Google also argues that an open Play Store would be less secure. In addition, the decision undermines innovation on the Android platform and reduces decision-making options for users. Anyone wishing to use alternative app stores must adjust Android's security settings to install the stores via an APK.

The game developer Epic sued Google and Apple in 2020 after provoking the removal of its online game “Fortnite” from the Play Store with a calculated breach of the rules. In the course of the proceedings, Epic argued that Google had entered into agreements worth billions with device manufacturers such as Samsung: Google had given Samsung a share of the revenue from Play Store sales. In return, the manufacturers had to agree to prioritize the Play Store on their devices.

(dahe)