Epic Games’ long legal fight with Google has finally come to an end. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Google’s appeal, confirming earlier rulings from 2023 and 2024 that sided with Epic.
In August, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had already denied Google’s attempt to overturn the decisions. Now, with the Supreme Court’s dismissal, Google has no further legal options and must start following the court’s orders by October 22.
Under the new rules, Google will be required to make its Play Store more open and competitive. App developers can now use their own billing systems for apps and subscriptions instead of depending on Google’s payment service. This change also frees them from paying the 30% “app tax” that developers have long criticized.
Developers will also be allowed to link users directly to app downloads outside the Play Store. Google will not be allowed to show warning messages or pop-ups that discourage users from installing apps through other sources.
Additionally, Google can no longer offer money or benefits to phone makers and carriers to block other app stores. Over the next three years, Google must ensure that third-party app stores are easy to find, accessible, and fully functional within the Android ecosystem.
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