Judge to Order Overhaul of Google's Android App Store

A federal judge signaled on Wednesday a significant restructuring of Google's Android app store to address what has been termed an illegal monopoly. During a three-hour hearing in San Francisco, Judge James Donato clearly stated that forthcoming reforms will likely include stipulations for the Play Store to offer users the option of downloading alternative app stores. This comes after a jury in December deemed the Play Store a monopoly due to its tight control over app distribution and billing systems for Android devices, generating billions annually for Google.

Google opposed the potential requirements, expressing concerns over possible security risks from third-party app stores. Nonetheless, Donato emphasized the necessity for major reform, irrespective of the tech giant's potential inconveniences and financial costs, which Google estimates could amount to $600 million. The judge also made it explicit that these changes are non-negotiable, stating, "We are going to tear the barriers down."

Judge Donato aims to provide an order detailing these mandatory changes within the next few weeks, likely before Labor Day. This ruling could also influence Google's strategy in an impending remedy phase for another antitrust case targeting Google's search engine, with hearings set for September 6 in Washington, DC While Google requested 12 to 16 months to implement the necessary Play Store adjustments, Epic Games, which initiated the lawsuit, insists it could be accomplished in around three months. Judge Donato suggested Google would not get all the time it sought. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)