Judge Temporarily Suspends Decision to Allow Third-Party App Stores on Android

Recently, Judge James Donato from California issued a ruling that mandated Google to allow third-party app stores access to its Android mobile operating system within the United States by November 1. However, in a recent turn of events, the judge has granted Google a temporary administrative stay on this ruling, providing the company with some much-needed relief.

This situation stems from a December 2023 legal case in which a jury found that Google exerted monopolistic control over app launches on devices utilizing its Android platform. The jury also determined that Google had engaged in anti-competitive measures to maintain its monopolistic status.

Judge Donato previously set a November deadline for developers to move away from Google Play Billing for Android, prompting Google to request this temporary administrative stay, citing inadequate time to comply. As reported by The Verge, the judge has sided with Google on this matter. In a statement, Google expressed its satisfaction with the District Court’s ruling. Meanwhile, Epic Games has not released any official comments regarding today’s developments.

If the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agrees to extend Google’s requested delay, the temporary stay could be prolonged significantly. Judge Donato has indicated his belief that such a delay will be granted, potentially postponing any modifications to the Android app store regulations by months or even years.

Just a week ago, Sarah Bond, the President of Xbox at Microsoft, announced that following Judge Donato’s earlier ruling, Xbox gamers would be able to buy and play games directly through the Android Xbox app come November. However, in light of today’s judicial decision, it seems implausible that this update will be implemented in the near future.

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