Google Settles Lawsuit with U.S. Attorney General, Agrees to Implement Changes to Google Play Store
In a major development, Google has agreed to pay a staggering $700 million as part of a settlement with the U.S. attorney general over a lawsuit concerning Google Play Store. This settlement comes after allegations were made against Google for creating a monopoly and engaging in anti-competitive practices.
As part of the settlement, Google has committed to implementing several changes to its popular app store. One of the key changes is that Google will now support app installs on Android devices outside of Google Play through third-party app stores for a minimum of seven years. This move aims to promote competition and provide more options for developers and users alike.
Additionally, Google will no longer force developers to launch their apps simultaneously or earlier on Google Play for at least four years. The tech giant has also agreed not to enter agreements with developers to offer a version with more features exclusively on Google Play. These changes seek to level the playing field for developers and ensure fair competition among apps.
Moreover, Google will allow third-party companies to use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to automatically update apps for four years. The company will also support a consent mechanism, giving users the power to stop apps from updating while in use. This move aims to enhance user control and provide a seamless experience.
Furthermore, Google has made changes to the way apps are updated. Preinstalled apps or third-party app stores will maintain “exclusive” rights to update an app unless the user decides to update from another source. This allows users to have more control over how their apps are updated.
To enhance transparency and user safety, Google will combine the warning screen and settings button for installing apps from alternative sources into a single screen. This will display a warning message for at least five years, ensuring that users are aware of the potential risks associated with downloading apps from sources other than the Google Play Store.
The settlement also includes changes related to in-app purchases. Developers will be allowed to offer alternative billing mechanisms for five years, and Google cannot force them to offer the best prices exclusively through Google Play billing. Additionally, Google can only collect the minimum required data from developers if users choose another billing option and cannot utilize this data to compete with the apps.
Developers will also have the freedom to contact users outside of the app for promotions related to pricing and billing for a minimum of six years. Google is no longer allowed to prevent developers from displaying fees linked with Google Play or Google Play’s billing system. Developers can also offer discounts to promote other billing systems.
Furthermore, Google is restricted from making exclusive app store agreements with phone makers for a minimum of five years. This means that device makers now have the freedom to preload third-party app stores without seeking consent from Google.
While these changes may seem significant, they might be relatively small for Google. Developers will need incentives and a large audience from other app stores to make the switch profitable. However, these changes mark a positive step towards fostering healthy competition within the app store market and giving users a wider array of choices.
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