Google has formally filed a motion asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to put a pause on the order that forces the company to open the Play store to competitors, following the loss of an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games. The federal jury found that Google held an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices. In response to the court order to allow third-party app stores access to the Google Play app catalog, Google is appealing the decision, citing concerns about security risks for 100 million Android users in the US. The company argues that allowing third-party app stores on Google Play could expose users to harmful and malicious apps, potentially compromising their safety and security. Moreover, Google contends that granting developers the ability to remove Google Play billing as an option may result in unanticipated consequences that could impact users’ expectations of safety and functionality. The company expressed frustration with the court’s decision to side with Epic in the antitrust lawsuit, contrasting it with a similar case involving Apple, where the court ruled in favor of the tech giant. Google emphasized the complexity and potential risks associated with the rapid implementation of the court-ordered changes, highlighting concerns about user safety and device functionality.
