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Google Ordered to Allow Rival App Stores on Android
31 Jul
Summary
- U.S. appeals court rejects Google's appeal against antitrust ruling
- Court orders Google to let users download rival app stores on Android
- Google claims ruling will harm user safety and limit choice
On July 31, 2025, a U.S. appeals court delivered a significant blow to Google, rejecting the tech giant's appeal against an antitrust ruling that requires it to overhaul its Android app store, the Google Play Store.
The unanimous decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a previous federal court order that found Google had illegally monopolized how consumers access apps on Android devices and make in-app purchases. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in 2020 by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games, which accused Google of stifling competition.
The appeals court rejected Google's claims that the trial judge made legal errors that unfairly benefited Epic. U.S. District Judge James Donato had ordered Google in October 2024 to restore competition by allowing users to download rival app stores within the Play Store and make the Play Store's app catalog available to those competitors.
Google argued that the changes would harm user safety and limit choice, but the appeals court disagreed. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the verdict, saying it paves the way for the Epic Games Store to come to the Google Play Store.
The ruling is a significant victory for Epic in its ongoing legal battles with tech giants over app store policies. The company is also fighting a separate case against Apple over similar issues. The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission had backed Epic in the Google case.
Google now has the option to appeal the decision to the full 9th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court. But for now, the tech giant must comply with the court order and make changes to its Android app ecosystem.
