Judge temporarily pauses Google Play Store overhaul order

Jury last year judged against Google in antitrust case.

A federal judge in California has granted Google request to temporarily pause an order that required the company to overhaul its Android Play Store by November 1st.

The ruling comes in response to an antitrust lawsuit filed by “Fortnite” creator Epic Games, accusing Google of monopolizing the Android app distribution and payment ecosystem.

Temporary Pause on Order

On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Donato of San Francisco decided to temporarily halt his previous order from October 7th, which would have mandated Google to introduce more choices for consumers when downloading software on Android devices.

Google argued that complying with the order by the original deadline could pose “serious safety, security, and privacy risks” to its Android ecosystem.

The pause allows the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review Google’s request for further suspension of the injunction while the company continues to appeal the broader case. However, Judge Donato rejected Google’s bid to pause the order for the duration of the overall appeal process.

Epic vs. Google: A Battle for App Store Reform

The lawsuit filed by Epic Games centers on accusations that Google has illegally monopolized Android app distribution and in-app payments.

Last year, a jury ruled that Google violated antitrust laws in its handling of how apps are downloaded and paid for on Android devices.

Following that verdict, Judge Donato embraced many of Epic’s proposed remedies, including allowing third-party app platforms and payment methods in the Play Store.

The judge’s original order required Google to:

• Allow third-party app stores to be available on the Play Store.
• Permit the use of alternative payment methods within apps.
• Prohibit Google from paying device makers to preinstall its Play Store.
• Stop sharing revenue with other app distributors from Play Store sales.

Google and Epic’s Responses

Google’s expressed relief following the temporary pause, saying it was pleased the court agreed to delay the “dangerous remedies” demanded by Epic while the appeal is considered.

The tech giant stressed concerns about potential security threats and disruptions to the Android ecosystem if the changes were implemented immediately.

Epic Games, on the other hand, criticized the ruling as merely procedural and said it expects Google’s appeal to fail. Epic accused Google of using “fearmongering” and unsubstantiated security risks to maintain control over the Android market and extract high fees from developers and consumers.

As the case moves to the appeals court, the final outcome could reshape how app stores and payments function on Android, potentially opening the platform to more competition.