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Google Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Halt App Store Ruling in Epic Games Case

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Google has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block parts of an injunction that would force sweeping changes to its Play Store, as it prepares to appeal its antitrust loss to “Fortnite” maker Epic Games.

In a filing submitted late Wednesday, Google argued that the lower court order is “unprecedented” and would cause reputational harm, safety and security risks, while putting it at a competitive disadvantage.

Epic sued Google in 2020, claiming it monopolized app distribution and in-app payments on Android devices in violation of U.S. antitrust law. A jury sided with Epic in 2023, and Judge James Donato issued an injunction requiring Google to:

  • allow rival app stores inside the Play Store,

  • make its app catalog available to competitors, and

  • let developers add external links in apps so users can bypass Google’s billing system.

Google said the changes would affect over 100 million U.S. Android users and 500,000 developers, asking the Supreme Court to decide by October 17 whether to pause the order. The company plans to file its full appeal by October 27, setting up the possibility for the justices to review the case in their new term beginning October 6.

Epic dismissed Google’s arguments, saying it was using “flawed security claims” to maintain control over Android. “The court’s injunction should go into effect as ordered so consumers and developers can benefit from competition, choices and lower prices,” Epic said.

Earlier this year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction, noting evidence that Google’s conduct had entrenched its dominance. The full 9th Circuit later declined to revisit the case.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney praised the ruling, saying developers and users would benefit from more openness in the Android ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Google continues to face other lawsuits from regulators, consumers, and businesses over its search and advertising practices, further intensifying its antitrust battles.

EU Probes SAP Over Software Practices That May Hinder Competition

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The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into SAP, saying the German software giant’s business practices may have unfairly restricted rivals in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) market.

SAP is the global leader in ERP software, which companies use to manage finance, HR, supply chains, sales, and procurement. The probe focuses on SAP’s aftermarket practices, raising concerns that customers may be locked into its services and face higher costs.

“We are concerned that SAP may have restricted competition in this crucial aftermarket, by making it harder for rivals to compete, leaving European customers with fewer choices and higher costs,” said EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera.

The investigation leaves SAP exposed to potential fines of up to 10% of its annual global sales.

Reuters previously reported that SAP had offered concessions to ease regulators’ concerns after complaints from European businesses about its ERP policies.

The Commission highlighted several practices under scrutiny:

  • preventing customers from switching to rival support and maintenance providers,

  • blocking customers from ending support for unused licenses,

  • extending initial on-premises ERP license terms to prevent early termination,

  • charging reinstatement and back-maintenance fees when customers return after leaving.

SAP said it does not expect any financial hit from the probe. “We do not anticipate the engagement with the European Commission to result in material impacts on our financial performance,” the company said, while adding that it was working closely with regulators.

SAP defended its policies as being based on long-standing global software standards and compliant with competition rules.

China summons ByteDance, Alibaba platforms over online content violations

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China’s Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has summoned ByteDance’s Toutiao news platform and Alibaba’s UCWeb browser unit for alleged content violations, adding them to the growing list of tech firms targeted in Beijing’s online crackdown.

According to separate statements issued Tuesday, both platforms were recently penalized for “disrupting the online ecosystem order,” with CAC imposing strict disciplinary actions against responsible personnel.

Alleged violations:

  • Toutiao: Allowed “harmful content” to appear in trending topic lists and other features.

  • UCWeb: Allowed non-authoritative sources and non-mainstream media to dominate trending topics, including coverage of sensitive and malicious events such as cyberbullying and the privacy of minors.

The summons comes as CAC launches a two-month nationwide campaign to remove violent or hostile content, part of a long-running effort to promote a “clean and healthy cyberspace” that aligns with Communist Party socialist values.

Industry-wide sweep

Toutiao said it welcomed the action, pledging to form a task force to combat non-compliant content and trolling. UCWeb has yet to issue a public statement.
CAC has also taken action in recent weeks against Kuaishou, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu (RedNote) for similar violations.

Wider regulatory push

The crackdown comes amid growing concern about public sentiment, as China faces economic headwinds and persistent youth unemployment. Other regulators are also stepping up:

  • The market watchdog summoned logistics platform Huolala over anti-monopoly compliance.

  • Days earlier, it launched an investigation into Kuaigou, an e-commerce arm of Kuaishou, for suspected e-commerce law violations.

Huolala described its summoning as a “profound wake-up call,” vowing stricter compliance going forward.

Beijing’s message is clear: online platforms must not only police content but also align with the state’s broader political and social stability agenda.