Google has settled a five-year-long antitrust lawsuit with Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, prompting changes to its Google Play policies. The settlement, announced this week, will allow Android developers more flexibility in offering alternative payment methods and facilitate the use of third-party app stores.
Policy Adjustments for Google Play
Under the settlement, Google Play will introduce options for developers to integrate alternative payment systems within their apps. This change permits the use of external web links for transactions, providing a modest but meaningful shift in platform policy. The service fee imposed by Google will also be adjusted to a capped rate of either 9% or 20% when these alternative methods are employed, down from the standard 30%.
Industry Reactions and Implications
Sameer Samat, president of the Android Ecosystem at Google, highlighted that these changes will promote developer choice, lower transaction fees, and maintain user safety. Epic Games CEO James Sweeney viewed the settlement favorably, stating it reinforces Android's open platform vision, streamlines third-party store installations, and reduces developer service fees.
The settlement must be approved by U.S. District Judge James Donato. A court session with the case's lawyers is expected to finalize the agreement and signal a pivotal shift in how transactions are managed on Google's platform.
