Epic Games and Google have just jointly withdrawn their attempt to retroactively settle the lawsuit that’s changing how Android app stores work in the United States — and that means Google will forced to carry rival app stores inside of its own. In fact, Google tells the court, it’s ready to begin carrying third-party app stores on Wednesday, July 22nd. Does that mean it’s time for Microsoft to launch an Xbox game store on Android?
In October 2024, Judge James Donato originally decided that forcing Google to carry rival Android app stores within its own Google Play store, and share its own entire catalog of apps with those stores, would be the best way of undoing the company’s illegal monopoly over Android applications. Google has been fighting that ever since, and eventually convinced Epic to settle all its lawsuits around the world while making a secret $800 million deal along the way.
_Today’s legal filing in its entirety. Paragraphs 11 and 12, named above, are the ones that force Google to carry rival stores inside its own store, and share its app catalog._Image: US District Court
But Judge James Donato was skeptical he should abandon his original permanent injunction in favor of Google’s proposed “Registered App Stores” that users would have to sideload, instead of downloading them directly through Google Play. On Thursday, July 16th, both parties were set to appear in court to argue it again — but that may no longer be necessary.
Here’s is Google’s full statement on withdrawing its proposed modifications to Judge Donato’s permanent injunction, via Google spokesperson Dan Jackson:
We’ve agreed with Epic to withdraw our motion to modify the US Court’s injunction rather than prolonging this process which creates uncertainty for the ecosystem.
