Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority
- A California judge criticized Google for resisting a jury verdict that found the company guilty of monopolizing Android app distribution.
- The judge’s upcoming ruling could force Google to open up its Play Store, potentially reshaping the app market globally.
- This case represents the first major US attempt to curb Google’s dominance following years of European antitrust actions.
A California federal judge has signaled that Google will soon be forced to open up the Play Store following a jury verdict that found the tech giant guilty of monopolizing Android app distribution and billing. Judge James Donato criticized Google’s resistance to the verdict and hinted at potential global implications for the remedies. (h/t: Bloomberg)
This ruling stems from a long-running legal battle between Epic Games, the maker of the popular video game Fortnite, and Google. Epic accused Google of abusing its power over Android apps, having already been at loggerheads with Apple over the company’s monopolistic App Store practices.