After a three year court battle, Epic Games has won their lawsuit against Google and their Google Play in-app billing. In an unanimous ruling, the court released a seven page verdict that stated Google had monopoly power in the Android app distribution markets and in-app billing, and that Google injured Epic Games with their anticompetitive behavior.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney released a statement following the verdict stating, “Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation…The evidence presented in this case demonstrates the urgent need for legislation and regulations that address Apple and Google strangleholds over smartphones, including with promising legislation in progress right now with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill in the UK and the Digital Markets Act in the EU.”
In turn, Google Affairs and Public Policy VP Wilson White stated the company will appeal the verdict and that “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.”
The ruling marks a big win for Epic Games after a split-ruling from their lawsuit with Apple regarding the same monopoly claims. In the lawsuit against Apple, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple wasn’t monopolizing the mobile app space with iOS or its in-app purchasing system, and actually ordered Epic to pay damages for violating its developer agreement. In the same ruling, Judge Gonzalez ordered Apple to remove its anti-steering rules (policies banning developers from informing users about alternatives to Apple’s in-app purchase system).
Image from: Epic Games/Google
