Google Granted Request to Pause Order
In a recent ruling, a federal judge in California has granted Google’s request to temporarily halt a previous order that would require the tech giant to revamp its Android Play Store by November 1. This pause gives Google more time to address concerns over consumer options for downloading software.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco, comes as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the creators of "Fortnite." In his initial October 7 ruling, Donato ordered Google to make significant changes to its Play Store, including allowing users more freedom to download apps from third-party platforms. However, Google argued that this overhaul could harm the Android ecosystem by introducing "serious safety, security, and privacy risks."
In response to Google's concerns, Judge Donato agreed to delay the order, giving the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals time to review Google’s request to pause the changes. However, Donato denied Google’s attempt to pause the order for the duration of its broader appeal in the case.
"We are pleased with the District Court’s decision to temporarily pause the implementation of dangerous remedies demanded by Epic," Google said in a statement. The company also expressed hope that the Court of Appeals will continue to block the Play Store changes while they pursue their broader appeal.
Epic Games, however, viewed the ruling differently. In their statement, they called it a "procedural step" and emphasized that the court "made it clear that Google's appeal is meritless." Epic also accused Google of using scare tactics to maintain its control over Android devices and continue charging excessive fees for app transactions.
The antitrust case stems from Epic’s claims that Google illegally monopolized the way consumers download apps and handle in-app payments on Android devices. A jury sided with Epic last year, and Donato’s order reflected many of the steps suggested by Epic in response to that verdict.
Under the original ruling, Google would be required to allow users to access competing app platforms within the Play Store and offer alternative in-app payment methods. The ruling also barred Google from paying device manufacturers to pre-install its Play Store and from sharing revenue generated through the Play Store with other app distributors.
Google has since appealed the jury’s antitrust ruling to the 9th Circuit but has not yet presented its full case. The company maintains that it is not a monopolist because Apple's App Store is a direct competitor to the Play Store. Google also argued that the judge’s injunction would force them to do business with rivals, which they believe is unlawful.
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