Epic Games released it back in December. A jury concluded that the company held an illegal monopoly over in-app billing and app distribution on Android devices and engaged in anticompetitive practices against certain gaming companies and device manufacturers.
At the time, it was unclear what had actually won, as the remedies had not yet been determined. The Fourteen days The manufacturer has now filed a proposed injunction against Google, detailing what it wants. In short, Epic wants the Play Store to be almost fully open.
The injunction is based on three key points. Epic noted in a blog post. First, Epic believes Google needs to allow users to download apps from anywhere without getting in the way. It says people should be able to add apps to Android devices much like they would from a computer – from any app store or the Internet.
Epic wants to prevent Google from blocking people from downloading apps from the internet (although it’s fine to let Google block malware). It also seeks to prevent the company from working with carriers and phone manufacturers to restrict consumers’ ability to download apps. Among other things, Epic wants restrictions on pre-installed app stores to be banned. If the injunction is approved, we may see Android phones pre-installed with an Epic Games Store app in the future.
Second, Epic argues that Google must give developers and users the freedom to choose how they offer and pay for in-app purchases, “free from anti-competitive fees and restrictions.” It claims that Google must allow developers to include links from their apps to websites where they may be able to offer discounts, as they would bypass Google’s cut of in-app payments facilitated through the Play Store.
Epic began its legal battle with Google (and Apple) in 2020 by pointing out Fourteen days Mobile players they could. Under the proposed injunction, Google would be prevented from providing alternative payment options through compliance programs such as.
The third goal of Epic’s proposed injunction is to prevent Google from retaliating against the company (or any other app or developer) for adopting app store practices. “Google has a history of malicious compliance and attempts to circumvent laws and regulations designed to limit anti-competitive control over Android devices,” Epic wrote. “Our proposed injunction aims to prevent Google from repeating past malicious tactics and open Android devices to competition and choice for all developers and consumers.”
has more details on Epic’s demands, including Google’s demand to decouple its products and services (like Android APIs) from the Play Store. Epic wants Google to allow third-party app stores to access the Play Store free of charge and give them access to the Play Store’s app library for a period of six years. This would also mean that third-party app stores would be allowed to update Play Store apps. Epic wants Google to set up a compliance committee to ensure it adheres to the injunction.
We may not have to wait long to find out how many of Epic’s motions the court has approved. Google will respond to the proposal by May 2, and a hearing on the injunction is scheduled for May 23.
Google has to make many similar changes in the European Union due to the Digital Markets Act. However, parent companies Alphabet and Apple have concerns that they will not freely allow developers to bypass the Play Store and App Store.
Meanwhile, due to the DMA, Epic plans to launch iOS and Android in the EU later this year. The company is also still fighting with Apple over third-party payments in the US.