In 2020, Epic Games, the developer of the widely popular game Fortnite, filed lawsuits against Apple and Google, accusing the two companies of following anti-competitive practices with their app distribution platforms, App Store and Play Store. While the court delivered the verdict in the Epic versus Apple case in September 2021, which was largely in favor of the iPhone maker, the judgment for the Epic versus Google lawsuit has just come in, and it is celebration time at Epic’s headquarters. That’s right. Epic has won the case.
On Monday, the jury in the Epic vs. Google lawsuit delivered the judgment (via The Verge), which agreed to the statement saying Google “maintained monopoly power by engaging in anticompetitive conduct,” concerning Play Store and Play Billing. Furthermore, the jury also agrees that Google’s violation of the antitrust law has injured Epic.
Epic has issued a press release on the matter, which says that the court’s verdict is a “win for all developers” and “it proves that Google’s app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation.”
Google will challenge the jury's verdict
Google, on the other hand, says that it will challenge the verdict. The company’s Vice President for Government Affairs & Public Policy said “Android and Google Play provide more choice and openness than any other major mobile platform. The trial made clear that we compete fiercely with Apple and its App Store, as well as app stores on Android devices and gaming consoles. We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem.”
While Epic has won the case, the lawsuit isn’t over yet. The court is yet to announce what this means for Epic and Google.
