Google says it will appeal lawsuit accusing it of moving to quash competitors and charging unfair fees
Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, has emerged victorious in an antitrust trial against Alphabet’s Google Play app marketplace, according to Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney. The federal jury, after weeks of detailed court proceedings, ruled against Google Play’s monopoly on all counts. Sweeney announced the outcome on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that the court’s consideration of remedies is set to commence in January.
Jurors found in favor of Epic on all counts, as per a court filing. The court will address potential remedies early next year. Google has announced its intention to appeal, expressing a commitment to defending the Android business model.
The legal battle, spanning over a month, saw final arguments from both parties on Monday morning. Epic had accused Google of stifling competition and imposing excessively high fees of up to 30% on app developers. Allegations included the illegal tying together of Google’s Play store and billing service, compelling developers to use both for app inclusion.
The ruling represents a significant setback for Google, with potential implications for the app store economy. If upheld, the decision could reshape how apps are distributed and monetized, giving developers increased influence.
Epic Games, in a statement on its website, asserted that the verdict demonstrates the illegality of Google’s app store practices, citing the abuse of monopoly power to extract high fees and hinder competition.
Google has consistently denied wrongdoing, contending that it competes fiercely on price, quality, and security against Apple’s App Store. Lawyers for Google emphasized the company’s efforts to lower fees in competition with Apple.
This trial comes after Google settled related claims with Match, a dating app maker, before the trial began. The tech giant also resolved antitrust claims with US states and consumers under undisclosed terms. Epic Games filed a similar antitrust case against Apple in 2020, with a US judge largely ruling in Apple’s favor in September 2021. Epic has sought the intervention of the US Supreme Court to revive key claims in the Apple case, while Apple is contesting a ruling requiring changes to App Store rules.
