Judge orders Google to ease rival app store installs

A US judge has ordered Google to make it easier for users to install rival app stores on Android, following a compliance hearing in the Epic Games antitrust case. Judge James Donato ruled that Google's current search and install processes for third-party stores constitute unnecessary "anticompetitive friction" and must be changed Source: The Verge.

What happened

During the August 13 hearing, Epic's lawyer demonstrated that searching Google Play for "store for apps" returned only physical stores, prompting Judge Donato to exclaim, "That is not acceptable, that has to be fixed." He ordered Google to ensure that every reasonable search variation—even those only 70 percent properly phrased—surfaces third-party stores Source: The Verge. Additionally, the judge objected to the extra step required to install a rival store, where users must press a "View" button before an "Install" button appears. "Make that install, not view," he ordered Source: The Verge.

The reaction

Google argued that these friction points protect users and devices, but the court rejected using safety as a shield for market position Source: The Next Web. Meanwhile, Aptoide Games has become the first rival store available in the US Play Store, a milestone following the 2023 jury verdict against Google Source: Ars Technica. Aptoide CEO Paulo Trezentos said, "Users gain more choice, developers gain additional distribution opportunities, and Android becomes a more open and competitive ecosystem" Source: Engadget.

What's next

Google has one week to implement the changes, with a deadline of August 20 Source: The Next Web. The company has not indicated whether it will appeal. Separately, new sideloading rules requiring developer verification and a 24-hour waiting period for unverified apps take effect on September 30 Source: The Next Web.