A federal appeals court has upheld the jury verdict finding Google guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly through its Play Store, affirming structural remedies that will force Google to open Android to competing app stores.
Court Order
The Ninth Circuit upheld all key provisions of the lower court's injunction with minor modifications.
- Google must allow third-party app stores on Android without degraded functionality for 5 years
- Developers may use alternative payment systems without Google taking a commission
- Google cannot pay device makers to pre-install Play Store exclusively
- Google must provide app store interoperability APIs within 12 months
Industry Impact
The ruling is expected to reduce Google's 30% app store commission revenue by an estimated $8 billion annually. Epic Games, Samsung, and Microsoft have announced plans to launch competing Android app stores. Legal experts note the decision could influence ongoing Apple App Store litigation in the EU.
