A federal judge in California has granted Google’s request to temporarily pause his order requiring the company to revamp its Android app store, Google Play, by November 1. This pause will give consumers more choices for downloading software.
US District Judge James Donato made this decision as part of an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the maker of “Fortnite,” against Google. Google argued that the October 7 injunction would harm its business and pose significant risks to privacy, security, and safety within the Android ecosystem.
As a result of Donato’s ruling, the injunction has been delayed. This delay allows Google to have its request for a further suspension of the judge’s order reviewed by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.
However, he denied Google’s separate request to pause the order for the duration of its broader appeal in the case.
Google released a statement expressing its appreciation for the District Court’s decision to halt the implementation of what it called Epic’s “dangerous remedies.” The pause will remain in place while the Court of Appeal reviews Google’s request for an additional suspension during the ongoing case.
Google controlled how users pay for in-app transactions
In response, Epic Games stated that the court found Google’s appeal to be without merit. They described Donato’s decision as a procedural step. Epic criticized Google for using “fearmongering and unsubstantiated security threats” to maintain control over Android devices and impose excessive fees.
In the ongoing lawsuit, a jury determined last year that Google had illegally monopolized how consumers download apps on Android devices. The jury also found that Google controlled how users pay for in-app transactions. In his order, Donato supported many of the steps recommended by Epic in response to the jury’s findings.
The order requires Google to let users download competing third-party Android app platforms or stores. It also allows the use of alternative in-app payment methods. Additionally, the order prohibits Google from paying device manufacturers to preinstall its app store. It also bars Google from sharing revenue generated from the Play Store with other app distributors.
Google has already appealed the jury’s antitrust decisions to the 9th Circuit. However, it has not yet presented its case before the appeals court. The company previously stated that it cannot be regarded as a monopolist. Google Play and Apple’s App Store, it argued, are direct competitors. Google also claimed that Donato’s injunction would unlawfully force it to do business with its rivals.