SAN FRANCISCO—A US judge on Friday let Google delay opening Android-powered smartphones to rival app shops, suspending a Nov. 1 deadline ordered in an antitrust case brought by Fortnite-maker Epic Games.
Google was pleased by federal judge James Donato’s decision to “temporarily pause the implementation of dangerous remedies demanded by Epic,” a company spokesperson said, as an appeals court considers permanently blocking the order stemming from Epic’s argument that the tech titan’s Android Play store is an illegal monopoly.
“These remedies threaten Google Play’s ability to provide a safe and secure experience and we look forward to continuing to make our case,” the spokesperson added.
In response to the ruling, a spokesperson for Epic Games said in an email to AFP that Google’s appeal was “meritless,” citing the judge’s deference to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals instead of striking down the order outright.AFP
“The pause… is merely a procedural step,” the spokesperson said.
Phones running on the Android operating system have about a 70 percent share of the world’s smartphone market.
Google has been hit with a series of recent legal challenges to its dominance. AFP
