Google could soon face legal action for allegedly abusing the power of the Play Store


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TL; DR

  • “Dozens” of states have reportedly sued Google for abusing its control over the Play Store.
  • The lawsuit would focus on charges for Android apps and subscriptions.
  • Legal action could be filed in California within hours.

Google could face another court battle on its business practices. Bloomberg Sources say “dozens” of states are set to file a lawsuit accusing Google of abusing its control over the Play Store.

The lawsuit would focus on the fees Google collects from Android developers for in-app apps and subscriptions. Legal action could be filed in California as early as July 7 (today, if you read in time), the sources said.

We asked Google for a comment.

If a lawsuit advances, it will add significant legal pressure on Google. The company is already facing antitrust action over its dominance of web search and online advertising – now it is expected to face a crackdown on alleged misuse of its mobile app platform. The EU also blocked on google for its Android research practices.

See also: The best third-party app stores for Android

Like Apple, Google grapples with long-standing accusations that it unfairly takes advantage of its app portal’s influence to charge excess fees such as the 30% discount it normally takes on purchases. The internet giant recently echoed Apple in reduce its share of app purchases at 15% for the first million dollars in revenue in a year, theoretically helping small developers without hurting the bottom line. However, the move didn’t take effect until July 1 and may not help Google avoid a lawsuit against states that may have been preparing cases for months.

At least some developers would like a lawsuit against Google. Fortnite Creator Epic Games sued Google in August 2020 for allegedly violating U.S. antitrust law by forcing app makers to use the Play Store payment system in numerous cases. If states go ahead, they could force Google to loosen its grip and allow these third-party payments. A legal victory could also push Google to reduce its cut for all developers, including majors like Epic.

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