Google Must Fix Play Store Rival App Installs by Aug. 20 After Epic Demo
Updated
Updated · Android Police · Aug 14
Google Must Fix Play Store Rival App Installs by Aug. 20 After Epic Demo
3 articles · Updated · Android Police · Aug 14
Summary
Aug. 20 is Judge James Donato’s deadline for Google to change Play Store search and install flows for third-party Android app stores, after Google’s lawyer agreed in court to the fixes.
Epic’s live demo drove the order: searches like “store for apps” failed to surface rival app stores properly, Aptoide was hard to find, and users hit a “View” button before reaching “Install.”
Donato told Google to match a wide range of search phrases, remove the “are you looking for” screen, and replace unnecessary friction with direct installation options.
The order extends a long-running Epic Games v. Google fight in which Epic won on monopoly claims, and the judge signaled that March-agreed Play Store changes still had not been implemented satisfactorily.