Google faces injunction in North America open Android to alternative app stores

Google faces injunction in North America open Android to alternative app stores

As a long-time Android user and ardent fan of Epic Games and Fortnite, I can hardly contain my excitement! This ruling against Google is a monumental step towards fair competition in the mobile app market. For far too long, we’ve been held hostage by the duopoly of Google Play and Apple’s App Store, forced to pay exorbitant fees and endure restrictive practices.


A U.S. court has ruled in favor of Epic Games, forcing Google to change its policies regarding apps available on Android devices in North America. This decision means that users can now access and download apps outside of Google Play, paving the way for the Epic Games Store’s mobile app on Android devices.

According to CNBC’s reports this week, Judge James Donato in California issued an order against Google. This order requires Google to enable options for app downloads beyond the Google Play Store when used on Android devices. This significant victory allows Epic Games to launch the Epic Games Store mobile app in North America without any hindrances, enabling them to once again offer Fortnite to Android device users.

Great news! In 2025, the Epic Games Store and other app stores are set to join the Google Play Store in the U.S., eliminating Google’s warning screens and waiving the 30% app fee – all made possible by Epic Games’ win against Google in Epic v Google.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) October 7, 2024

Approximately four years ago, Fortnite was taken off Google Play. This move by Epic Games was part of an ongoing strategy to challenge Apple and Google’s dominance in the mobile app market. Epic Games is currently involved in a legal dispute with Apple over numerous issues similar to those in the Google case. The outcomes of several of these disputes are yet to be determined.

In terms of Google, this victory is significant for Epic since it brings them one step closer to their goal of operating the Epic Games Store and its applications on mobile devices. With grand plans for the Epic Games Store mobile by 2025, keep an eye out for further developments in this area as new information becomes available.

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2024-10-08 01:57