Tech giant Google has lost its appeal against a court verdict requiring it to fundamentally rethink how its Play Store operates. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed all of Google’s objections, confirming that the company abused its dominant position in the Android ecosystem.

Google Must Lift Restrictions on Developers

The ruling forces Google to remove limitations that prevented app developers from launching their own marketplaces or billing systems outside of Google Play. These changes were supposed to take effect earlier but were put on hold pending Google’s appeal—which has now been rejected.

Judge Margaret McKeown stated in her opinion that in antitrust cases, even otherwise legal practices can be prohibited if they are used to maintain unfair advantages. She also emphasized that the court is within its rights to require Google to remedy the harm done to competitors and consumers.

Google Warns of Risks, Epic Celebrates

Google claims the decision could negatively impact user security and Android stability. “Our top priority remains protecting users and developers and ensuring a secure platform,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs.

Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney welcomed the decision, saying it opens the door for the Epic Game Store to be made available through Google Play—a major step forward for fair competition, in his view.

Potential Multi-Billion Dollar Impact

Although Alphabet (Google’s parent company) doesn’t disclose app store revenue separately, analysts warn the changes could have a significant financial impact. The wider use of third-party billing systems could reduce Google Play’s gross revenue by 20–30%, potentially slashing the company’s gross profit by $1–1.5 billion annually.

Epic Recently Settled With Samsung

This decision comes just weeks after Epic Games settled a similar antitrust case with Samsung. Epic accused the company of colluding with Google to suppress competition—citing features like Samsung’s Auto Blocker, which allegedly discouraged users from downloading apps outside of the Google Play or Galaxy Store.

Both Samsung and Google denied wrongdoing and declined to reveal the terms of the settlement. However, Epic expressed satisfaction, suggesting Samsung addressed their concerns constructively.

What’s Next? A Supreme Court Appeal Is Still Possible

Google could still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If it does, the final outcome may be delayed or even overturned. Still, the ruling already signals a shift toward more open competition on the Android app marketplace.

The decision could reshape the landscape by lowering barriers for developers and expanding choices for consumers.

#GooglePlay , #DigitalMarkets , #Regulation , #worldnews

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