Summary
- Google is against Epic’s demands to make changes to the Play Store, arguing that they could harm consumer privacy and security.
- Implementing Epic’s proposed changes could expose user data and prevent Google from verifying app safety, according to the tech giant.
- The legal battle between Google and Epic continues, with a hearing set for May 23 to determine the next steps in the case.
Google’s brawl with Fortnite maker Epic Games is once again making headlines. Late last year, the court ruled against Google, determining that the company’s practices on Play Store are anticompetitive. Along the way, Epic Games came up with a long list of changes that need to be made to Google’s app venue. However, Google now argues that Epic’s demands are superfluous.
According to a report by TechCrunch, the recent court ruling against Google carries significant weight. The tech giant is now under obligation to make substantial alterations to its Play Store, even permitting practices that were previously deemed against its statute. One of Epic’s key demands is that Google should allow customers to freely download their apps and games from any platform of their choice.
Additionally, in-app purchases for consumers and developers on the Play Store must be free of any restriction, and the Epic Games Store must come to Android devices without Google blocking it. The full list of Epic’s demands is detailed in the company’s proposed injunction in April. The list also includes access to the Play Store catalog for six years and ditching the current fee structure.
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As expected, Google has responded negatively to Epic’s demands, saying they are unnecessary and extravagant. Google Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy Wilson White states, “Epic’s demands would harm the privacy, security, and overall experience of consumers, developers, and device manufacturers.”
Google’s official stance on Epic’s demands is clear – it believes the proposed changes exceed the scope of the recent U.S. trial verdict. Google has also expressed its readiness to vigorously defend its business model, which could potentially undergo significant changes if Epic’s demands are met.
Google further contends that implementing the changes proposed by Epic could compromise user privacy and security. It argues that these changes would prevent the company from verifying the safety of apps downloaded from third-party app stores. Additionally, Google states that it needs to inform third-party app stores about the apps a user has installed, potentially exposing user data without their consent.
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The move is totally against Google practices and the upcoming features for Android 15, such as Enhanced Confirmation Mode that limits permissions for sideloaded apps. Interestingly, in Epic’s antitrust case against Apple, the iPhone maker relied on the same reasoning to convince the judge that its current practices are in place to keep users safe and that removing them would put users at risk. If it worked for Apple, it might also work for Google too.
Finally, Google said it had already reached a settlement with state attorneys general to ditch exclusive agreements with developers. Thus, Epic’s proposed remedies are unnecessary and might also reduce competition in the Play Store.
Despite the arguments and counter-arguments, the legal battle between Google and Epic is far from over. Both parties are set to attend a hearing before Judge James Donato on May 23. The judge’s ruling will be pivotal in determining the next steps in this high-stakes antitrust case, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
