Important points
- Google asked for more time to implement changes mandated by a judge’s ruling in the Epic Games case.
- The company says its rush to introduce third-party app stores to Google Play is increasing the safety and privacy risks for the more than 100 million Android users in the United States.
- Google says that forcing third-party stores into Google Play will reduce developer control and put users at risk, and that it will take more time to implement such features in a secure manner. claims it is necessary.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled in the Epic v. Google case, requiring non-Google app stores serving the Android ecosystem to adopt a new set of open standards. This is the result of a four-year legal battle that began when Epic sued both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, alleging they had a monopoly on mobile app distribution, and the regulator’s work. This prompted close scrutiny. How the two platforms work.
Google is currently seeking an emergency stay on the recent ruling, arguing that the Nov. 1 deadline doesn’t give the company enough time to mitigate the risks, and the court order says “more than 100 million U.S. “This puts Android device users at serious risk.” New security risks. ”
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The problem centers on the judgment itself. According to its language, Google has just three weeks to implement the mandated changes, which Google calls a “herculean” task. It’s easy to say Google wants more time to put its defenses in place, which is probably true, but the search giant has legitimate concerns about adding third-party apps to the Google Play Store without proper verification. has also been raised. The Verge has uploaded a fact sheet about the decision and Google’s cease and desist request. You can read both here. If you want to explore the whole thing, be prepared. There are 41 pages.
Source: Google / Android Police
Google’s argument for postponement centers on security.
Google has divided the request into five main points, each with a paragraph that further explains why it believes this decision is harmful not only to itself but also to its users.
- Forcing Google to distribute third-party app stores within Google Play compromises safety and privacy.
- Giving hundreds of third-party Android app stores access to Google Play’s app catalog reduces developer control over app distribution and puts users at risk.
- Linking to external app downloads from within an app on Google Play is dangerous.
- Removing Play billing as an option reduces important protections and features that users rely on.
- Rushing to implement remedies increases risks to users, developers, and device manufacturers.
Fair and just economic practices are the foundation of our economy. Monopolies should be broken up and stopped, but the three weeks Google has been given to complete that process feels rushed. Cybersecurity incidents are on the rise. In 2022 alone, there were over 5.4 billion attacks worldwide. In a market that has historically struggled with malware-filled apps, Google needs to take the time to make sure new apps coming to market can pass safety standards. Failure to do so can have a significant impact on how users view the Google Play Store.
