Google asks US Supreme Court to delay Play Store policy changes

Google has appealed the U.S. Supreme Court to pause an injunction ordered by a lower court. It is related to the antitrust case against Epic Games.
The case has dragged on since 2020, when Apple and Google had removed Fortnite from their stores, because of third-party payment systems that were implemented in the game. In 2023, a jury said Google had built an illegal app store monopoly on Android. This was followed by an appeal, and a ruling in 2024 ordered Google to allow third-party payment options on the Play Store. It also said the Play Store would have to host third-party app marketplaces, for 3 years.
Last month, Google lost its appeal against this ruling, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to turn the lower court’s decision. Now, Google has asked the highest court in the United States to intervene in the matter.
Bloomberg reports that Google said that if Play Store policy changes are not delayed, Android’s ecosystem will suffer irreparable harm. Irreparable harm? What does that even mean? It looks like Google is using security once again as an excuse to get what it wants, just like Apple does. Its plan to kill sideloading on Android is also based on “security fears”.
Epic Games’ spokesperson, Natalie Munoz, told Bloomberg that Google continues to rely on flawed security claims which have already been rejected by a jury and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in order to protect their control over Android devices. Munoz also said that users and developers will benefit from competition, choices and lower prices if the injunction goes into effect as ordered.
Apple wants the EU to repeal the Digital Markets Act because it stands in the way of innovation, causes features to be delayed for users in Europe, and that third-party app stores cause harm for users. It’s unbelievable how companies resort to creating fake security excuses just to protect their business, instead of just following the law.
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