Epic Games Wins Landmark Antitrust Case Against Google's Play Store Monopoly
Epic Games has won its antitrust lawsuit against Google, with a unanimous jury verdict finding Google liable for monopolization and unlawful trade practices related to Play Store fees and agreements.
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The jury determined that Google had monopolized two key markets:
- Android app distribution market
- Android in-app billing services for digital goods and services transactions
Key Findings:
- Google willfully maintained monopoly power through anticompetitive conduct
- Google's developer agreements and deals with manufacturers constituted trade restraints
- The company unlawfully tied Google Play Store use to Google Play Billing
- These practices harmed Epic Games and other developers
Settlement attempts between Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney and Google executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai, failed to resolve the conflict prior to the verdict.
Epic Games celebrated the verdict as "a win for all app developers and consumers around the world," stating that it proves Google's practices are illegal and abuse their monopoly position to:
- Extract excessive fees
- Stifle competition
- Reduce innovation
The company emphasizes the need for legislation addressing mobile platform control, specifically mentioning:
- UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill
- EU's Digital Markets Act
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This verdict represents a significant shift in the relationship between app developers and platform holders, potentially leading to reformed digital store policies and reduced fees for developers.