Epic’s big win against Google hits a roadblock in appeals court

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. The injunction would have required the company to allow competing app stores to be installed more easily and make its app catalog available to rivals. Google pushed back, arguing that such changes would harm security and its ability to compete fairly. The company quickly filed for a temporary stay.

Compared to iOS, Android is pretty open, but Epic says it’s not open enough. | Image credit — Google

The court acknowledged that Epic’s case against Google differs significantly from its case against Apple. While Apple controls both its hardware and software, Google’s Android ecosystem allows third-party app stores—at least in theory. Epic’s argument was that Google, despite this openness, still made it difficult for competitors to succeed within the Android ecosystem.

This legal decision may seem like a short-term win for Google, but the company is far from being in the clear. The appeals process could take months, and the outcome could reshape how Android users download and pay for apps. It could also influence broader app store policies across the tech industry.

For context, Apple’s App Store remains much more locked down compared to Android, but regulators in Europe and the U.S. have also taken aim at Apple’s strict policies. So while Google’s platform is more open by design, it’s now facing growing legal scrutiny that could narrow that gap.

The final outcome of this battle will be closely watched by developers, regulators, and users alike. For now, Google’s Play Store remains unchanged — but that could soon change, depending on how this legal fight plays out.