Google has achieved a small but significant victory in its legal battle with Epic. Recently, the company requested Judge James Donato to postpone the deadline to make major changes to its Android app store rules, and today, Google confirmed that the judge has granted them a temporary administrative stay. This means that Google may not have to modify its Play Store practices for a considerable amount of time, if at all, while they appeal the verdict.
In December, a jury found Google’s Android app store, the Play Store, to be an illegal monopoly. Google is currently appealing this jury verdict and the court’s order.
Today’s temporary administrative stay only delays the process temporarily, allowing the appeals court to consider a longer stay. Judge Donato believes that the Ninth Circuit will grant this longer stay, potentially relieving Google from making changes until the appeal is resolved. The judge opted not to extend the stay himself.
If Judge Donato had maintained the original deadline, developers could have stopped using Google’s Play Billing as of November 1st. Additionally, Google would have been prohibited from offering certain financial incentives to retain developers and would have had to allow third-party app marketplaces within the Play Store within eight months.
Originally, Google was given less than a month to adjust its app store, but they argued that they should have the same 90-day timeline that Apple received. With the original deadline lifted, Google has some breathing room and could follow a similar path to Apple, which delayed removing its anti-steering App Store rules for over two years.
Had the stay not been granted, Judge Donato’s ruling could have directly impacted consumers, not just developers. Microsoft planned to enable users to purchase and play games in the Xbox Android App, while Epic intended to bring the Epic Games Store to Google Play next year. Unless the Ninth Circuit rejects the stay, these plans may be postponed for years.
Google expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating that the remedies demanded by Epic could jeopardize the safety and security of Google Play. They look forward to defending their platform, which benefits millions of Android users, developers, and partners in the US.
Epic chose not to provide a comment on the matter.
