Google has launched a legal challenge against a recent ruling by District Judge James Donato in the Epic vs Google case, which could lead to significant changes in how the Google Play app store operates. Google has asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to vacate the changes mandated by Judge Donato.
The new order would permit third-party app stores to be included within Google Play and remove the requirement for apps to utilise Google Play Billing. The tech giant argues that these changes could harm the Android ecosystem by jeopardising user safety, developer control, and privacy.
In its appeal, Google stated that the ruling poses a threat to Android users, developers, and manufacturers who have relied on the current Google Play system.
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Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, stressed that the ruling could challenge the safety and privacy protections provided by Google Play. She cautioned that it might expose the Android accounts of more than 100 million users in the U.S. to potential security threats while limiting developers’ ability to manage how their apps are distributed.
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Additionally, linking to external downloads from apps within Google Play is seen as a risky practice for users, according to Google. The removal of Google Play Billing could eliminate essential protections and features that both users and developers depend on, such as fraud prevention. Furthermore, Google warns that the rushed implementation of these changes could result in errors and security failures across the Android platform.
Moreover, Google claims that the ruling was influenced by Epic Games, one of its competitors, and could jeopardise key aspects of its business and partnerships. The company believes these rapid changes could significantly harm both Android users and the overall ecosystem.