Google asks appeals court to overturn antitrust ruling in favor of Epic Games
Date: 2024-11-29 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: BUSINESS
Google has asked a U.S. appeals court to overturn a California federal court ruling that upheld Epic Games' lawsuit. The ruling requires Google to allow third-party app stores and alternative payment systems on its Google Play store.
The court previously ordered Google to open apps to third-party payment platforms, including cryptocurrency. However, on November 27, Google filed a 110-page brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that the ruling "undermines Google's ability to compete with Apple and the iPhone."
Google argues that the judge should have taken into account the competition between Google and Apple in the smartphone market and made a decision similar to the one in Epic v. Apple, where the court ruled that Apple did not violate antitrust laws.
The statement also notes that Judge James Donato should not have held a jury trial because there was no jury trial in the Epic v. Apple case. Google emphasizes that it is forced to compete with other app stores, which is not required of Apple.
In 2020, Epic Games filed separate lawsuits against Apple and Google, accusing them of monopolizing the market. According to Epic, the companies unfairly require apps to use only their payment systems, while charging a 30% commission. Epic's attempt to bypass these fees through its own payment system led to the removal of its popular game Fortnite from both companies' app stores, after which Epic filed a lawsuit.
Google's ban on third-party payment systems limits the functionality of cryptocurrency apps such as NFT marketplaces, which in the current environment serve only as virtual galleries.
Judge Donato ordered in October to lift the ban on external payment systems on Google Play and allow developers to offer users apps downloaded outside the official store.
In December 2023, a jury found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws for blocking competing app stores. That ruling is temporarily on hold, but an appeals court could either affirm Judge Donato's ruling or stay it until a final ruling is made.
