What you need to know
- A report says the US Supreme Court has doubled down on its previous ruling, refusing Google’s plea for a pause in certain aspects.
- The US Supreme Court says Google must make proposed “changes” to the Play Store in 2024.
- Google was previously ordered to cease its anti-competitive practices from Play Stores, which was the main catalyst behind the Epic Games lawsuit.
The United States Supreme Court has reportedly exercised its order regarding Google and its Play Store.
The court’s continuing order was reported by CNBC, which says it “declined” Google’s request for parts of a previous decision to go on hiatus. The order that Google sought to gain some latitude related to U.S. District Judge James Donato’s proposed 2024 “amendments.”
As a result, Donato decided that Google should make changes to move away from these anti-competitive practices, so that third-party developers could place their apps on the Play Store comfortably.
According to the publication, Google’s attempt this year was because the company called Donato’s previous move “unprecedented” because it could boost “security risks” and put it at a disadvantage. “CNBC reiterates that Google was ordered to allow the possibility that Google was ordered to make its “play applicators for competitors. “
Google is likely pursuing a freeze on these issues now because, as CNBC reports, this checklist is not scheduled to go into effect until July 2026.
A long and corrected case
We’ve been down this epic V Google Path for a few years now, and back in August it was ruled by the Ninth Circuit that epic games should be allowed on the Play store. A jury found Google guilty of illegal monopolization of “Android application distribution” and “in-app billing.” Not only was Epic allowed to bring its games store to the Play Store, but the Ninth Circuit further ruled that Google should open its platform to third-party developers.
Additionally, Google was “prohibited” from forcing consumers to go through its gaming billing services. Another notable issue raised throughout this lawsuit.
Although the Ninth Circuit sidelined the epic earlier this year, it was reported that Google may seek the “full Ninth Circuit to pursue a different, likely more favorable decision. We’ve now seen its quest with the U.S. Supreme Court, so it remains to be seen what comes from this lawsuit. There are still things about Judge James Donato’s previous ruling that might not happen, but more information is likely to come.
