A California federal judge granted a request by Alphabet’s Google to pause his order directing the company to adjust its rules and open up the Play Store, Reuters reported on Saturday, October 19.
Prior to this, San Francisco-based US District Judge James Donato ordered Google to overhaul its mobile app business by November 1 to give Android users more options to download apps and to pay for transactions within them, following a jury verdict last year for Fortnite maker Epic Games.
Donato delayed the injunction to allow the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to consider a request by Google to pause the order. Google may not have to change its store while the appeal is ongoing.
According to a report from The Verge, the temporary administrative stay only pushes the changes back long enough for the appeals court to weigh in on the matter. While Donato himself did not give Google a longer stay, he reportedly told the courtroom he suspects the appeals court may grant a longer stay.
Despite all this, Donato did maintain one change.
From November 1, 2024 to November 1, 2027, Google is ordered not to make deals with carriers or device makers blocking the preinstallation of rival app stores in exchange for money, revenue sharing, or other such perks.
According to Reuters, Google said in a statement it was “pleased with the District Court’s decision to temporarily pause the implementation of dangerous remedies demanded by Epic, as the Court of Appeal considers our request to further pause the remedies while we appeal.”
Epic, meanwhile, called the ruling by Donato a procedural step.
In a statement, Epic said the court “made it clear that Google’s appeal is meritless and rejected their request to delay opening up Android devices to competition while the appeal is ongoing. Google continues to use fearmongering and unsubstantiated security threats to protect their control over Android devices and continue extracting exorbitant fees.” – Rappler.com