In a recent ruling, Google has lodged an appeal against a decision that mandates the company to incorporate third-party app stores within Google Play. This ruling, which also eliminates the need for Google Play Billing for apps distributed via the platform, as well as other stipulations, is set to be implemented starting November 1st.
Google maintains that the order could undermine the safety and reliability that Google Play currently offers its users. Despite similar arguments being previously dismissed by Judge Donato during the district court proceedings, Google continues to assert that these changes could adversely affect a wide range of stakeholders including Android users, app developers, and device manufacturers. Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, highlighted these concerns in a fact sheet provided to journalists, stating that the impact would not be limited to Google, but would extend to those who depend on the Android ecosystem for business.
The fact sheet, organized into five sections, outlines Google’s objections to the ruling. Google initiated its court filing by stating that a competitor, Epic Games, prompted the district court to demand significant modifications to Google Play. These modifications, according to Google, would introduce substantial security risks to over 100 million Android users in the U.S. and alter its business and contractual agreements with numerous partners. The company argues that the requirement to implement these changes within a three-week period presents a significant security risk to the Android ecosystem.
For further details, Google’s entire fact sheet and emergency motion can be reviewed.