Changes to how Android apps are sold and downloaded put on hold — for now.
A U.S. appeals court has temporarily paused an order that would have forced Google to make major changes to the Play Store. This decision allows Google more time to challenge a previous antitrust ruling in its ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite.
The case stems from a long-running battle that began in 2020, when Epic sued both Apple and Google. Epic accused the two tech giants of maintaining monopolies over mobile app distribution and payment systems. While Epic’s lawsuit against Apple largely failed in court, its case against Google gained more traction. In 2023, a jury sided with Epic, declaring that Google had abused its control over Android app distribution and in-app billing.
As a result, a federal judge ordered Google to open up the Play Store.
