Google has requested a California federal judge to delay the implementation of a recent court order that mandates opening its Google Play store to increased competition. In a filing submitted on Friday night, Google argued that the ruling, set to take effect on November 1, would introduce “serious safety, security, and privacy risks” to the Android ecosystem. The company, a subsidiary of Alphabet, also emphasized that the order could harm its business operations, prompting it to ask for a pause while it appeals the decision.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge James Donato on October 7, stems from a lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite. Epic successfully argued that Google was monopolizing the Android app marketplace, controlling how users download apps and make in-app payments. The court agreed, declaring that Google’s practices unfairly restricted competition and violated antitrust laws.
The injunction specifically requires Google to:
- Allow Android users to download apps from competing third-party platforms or stores.
- Permit the use of alternative in-app payment methods.
- Prohibit Google from paying device manufacturers to pre-install its Play Store.
- Stop revenue-sharing agreements with other app distributors.
If Judge Donato denies Google’s request to stay the injunction, the company plans to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to halt the order during its appeal process. Google already filed its notice of appeal to the 9th Circuit on Thursday. The appeals court will ultimately decide on the validity of Donato’s ruling as Google seeks to overturn the antitrust verdict.
This legal battle is one of several high-profile antitrust cases aimed at limiting the dominance of tech giants in digital marketplaces. While Epic Games celebrates this as a victory for competition and developers, Google maintains that such changes could undermine the security and privacy protections it has built into its app store and Android ecosystem.