Google Appeals to Supreme Court to Overturn Epic Games Ruling
â–Ľ Summary
– Google is appealing its Epic v. Google case to the Supreme Court to avoid a court-ordered injunction that threatens its control over the Android app ecosystem.
– A lower court’s permanent injunction, affirmed in September, requires Google to stop forcing app developers to use its Google Play Billing system by October.
– The injunction also mandates that Google must allow developers to link to alternative payment methods and app stores, and set their own prices.
– Google argues the Supreme Court might overturn the ruling, citing potential overreach by lower courts or the outcome of the similar Epic v. Apple case.
– Google has set deadlines to file its full appeal and is seeking a stay on the injunction, while the district court is proceeding with compliance plans for October 30th.
The legal battle between Google and Epic Games has reached a pivotal moment, with Google officially appealing to the Supreme Court in a final effort to overturn a ruling that threatens its control over the Android app marketplace. This move comes after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a permanent injunction that would force significant changes to Google Play Store policies. The tech giant is now seeking a stay on that injunction, arguing that lower courts overstepped their authority and that the outcome of the similar Epic v. Apple case should influence this decision.
Last week, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the injunction and set a deadline for Google to comply by this October. The required changes are substantial: Google would no longer be able to force developers to use its proprietary Google Play Billing system for in-app purchases. Additionally, the company must permit apps to link to alternative payment methods and even other app stores, while also allowing developers greater freedom to set their own prices. These measures aim to dismantle what Epic Games argues are anti-competitive practices.
Google’s appeal hinges on several key arguments it hopes will persuade the Supreme Court. The company contends that the lower courts misinterpreted antitrust law and that the ruling against it is inconsistent with Apple’s victory in a parallel lawsuit. By filing a petition for a writ of certiorari, Google is asking the nation’s highest court to review the case. Simultaneously, it has requested an emergency stay to prevent the injunction from taking effect while the appeal is pending.
The timeline for these legal maneuvers is tight. Google has stated it will file its full appeal by October 27, 2025, but is asking the Supreme Court to decide on pausing the injunction by October 17 of this year. Meanwhile, Judge James Donato, the district court judge who originally issued the injunction, has scheduled a hearing for October 30. During this proceeding, both Google and Epic will be required to present their plans for implementing the court’s order, creating a scenario where preparations for compliance are moving forward even as Google fights to nullify the ruling entirely. The outcome will have profound implications for the entire mobile app economy.
(Source: The Verge)
