Google's Play Store Changes: Supreme Court Sides With Epic Games
Well, this is interesting. The Supreme Court just denied Google's request to pause the changes they have to make to the Play Store. This all stems from that legal battle with Epic Games, and it looks like Epic is coming out on top... at least for now.
For those who don't remember, Epic (the folks behind Fortnite) sued Google, accusing them of having an illegal monopoly over app distribution on Android. The court agreed with Epic. I think that, in the end, this kind of decision can be better for everyone, since more competition is usually a good thing.
Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, even tweeted about it, saying that developers will soon be able to direct users to alternative payment methods without Google taking a cut. This change will start in late October.
So, what does this all mean? Basically, Google has to loosen its grip on the Play Store. They'll have to allow developers to use other payment systems and even let users download apps from outside the Play Store. Google will also not be able to close exclusivity agreements to preinstall the app store in new devices.
Google, of course, isn't happy about this. A spokesperson said that these changes could make it harder for users to safely download apps. They're planning to appeal the decision, so this isn't over yet.
I'm curious to see how this will play out in the long run. Will it lead to a more open and competitive app ecosystem? Or will it create new security risks for users? Only time will tell.
Source: Engadget