Judge Orders Google To Make Rival App Store Installs Easier
A federal judge has ordered Google to remove what he called "anticompetitive friction" that makes rival Android app stores harder to find and install. The order is part of the remedies stemming from Epic's antitrust victory, which already requires Google to carry competing app stores inside Google Play and give them access to its app catalog. The Verge reports: It's been nearly three years since…
A federal judge has mandated Google to simplify the process of installing rival Android app stores, deeming the current procedure as "anticompetitive friction." This directive is part of the remedies arising from Epic's antitrust triumph, which already obligates Google to incorporate competing app stores within Google Play and grant them entry to its app library.
According to The Verge, it has been almost three years since a jury unanimously ruled that Google held an unlawful monopoly over Android applications, and nearly two years since Judge James Donato determined the most effective method to dismantle this monopoly would be to loosen Android app distribution. Donato enforced Google to host rival Android app stores within its Google Play Store and provide competitors with full access to Google's extensive catalog of applications for several years.
However, Epic contended that Google continues to render it challenging to install alternative app stores, presenting the court with a live demonstration showcasing the numerous steps involved - and Judge Donato concurred that certain steps were superfluous "anticompetitive friction" and ordered Google to eliminate them. The judge demands swift action, instructing Google to complete the modifications within a week.
Written by urgent.news from Slashdot's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
