Google Play Opens to Third-Party App Stores as Epic Remedy Takes Effect
Court-ordered changes are taking effect: Android distribution and payment monopolies are loosening, and developer fee changes are worth tracking.
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Google has begun allowing rival third-party app stores to be distributed through the Google Play Store, a concrete change following the court order in the Epic Games antitrust case.
Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, sued Google over its restrictions on alternative app stores inside Play and on developers' payment options. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation on October 1, rival Android app stores can now access the Play Store's catalog and be distributed through it, and developers have greater freedom to direct users to alternative payment and distribution channels.
The EFF is a digital-rights advocacy group and its post favors competition; the exact scope of compliance should be checked against Google's own statements and the court's order. For developers, the actual effect on distribution reach and payment fees is what to watch next.