Google's failed appeal could open up the market for Android apps.
Google has lost its appeal in the long-running app store antitrust case, which marks another major victory for Epic Games. Google lost the original case in 2023 when a jury found it abused its market position in smartphones to block competition from Epic and others. Google was able to get the penalties suspended while it pursued its appeal, but now it may need to make plans for a more open future on Android.
Since the dawn of the mobile app era, it was customary for both Apple and Google to take a sizable cut of developer revenue, but no one had the resources to challenge the status quo until Fortnite took off. The success of Epic's battle royale title gave it an opening to go after both Apple and Google in 2020. The developer added external payment options to the free-to-play game, causing it to be pulled from both stores. The lawsuit followed soon after.