Google’s Android App Store Found Guilty in Landmark Case: Blow to Tech Empire, US

A federal court jury has ruled in favor of Epic Games in its antitrust lawsuit against Google, stating that the tech giant has implemented anti-competitive barriers in its Android app store, the Play Store. The verdict came after a short deliberation period following a four-week trial. The lawsuit, filed by Epic Games three years ago, accused Google of abusing its power to protect its Play Store from competition, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually. Google, like Apple, collects a commission on digital transactions made within apps, ranging from 15% to 30%. While Apple emerged victorious in a similar case brought by Epic Games against its iPhone app store, the outcome of that trial is currently under appeal. The Play Store case, however, went in a different direction, with the jury finding that Google’s Android app store had created barriers to competition, even though it technically allows apps to be downloaded from different stores. The decision now puts the responsibility on US District Judge James Donato to determine the actions Google must take to rectify its behavior. Google has stated its intent to appeal the ruling. The trial outcome could potentially result in significant financial losses for Google, as it may be required to revise its Play Store commissions. Google’s profits from its digital advertising, which is linked to its search engine and other services, will not be directly affected by the verdict. The trial saw witness testimonies from Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who characterized Google as a dominant force stifling innovation and driving up prices. Meanwhile, Google defended its commissions as necessary for recouping the investments made to build Android software, which has been offered to manufacturers since 2007. With the verdict reached in favor of Epic Games, the focus now shifts to the potential impact on the app store market and the steps Google will need to take in response to the jury’s decision.