Judge orders Google to open Android to other stores in Epic lawsuit ruling

Judge James Donato has issued an injunction in the case of Epic v. Google, ordering that the Android developer has to open the operating system to third-party app stores, distributing them and allowing them access to the Play Store’s library of apps. Starting this November and for a period of three years, Google has to allow third-party stores the option to offer Play Store apps to their customers, as well as permit developers access to payment options other than its own.

The injunction says that Google cannot incentivize developers prioritizing the Play Store, or encourage them to deprioritize other app stores. However, they do have to offer developers a means of opting out of third-party app catalogs if they so choose. Epic and Google will collaborate to appoint a three-person committee to handle any disputes between the two entities. According to Judge Donato, Google has eight months from now to comply with these requirements. The ruling is also confined to the United States of America.