- Google and Epic Games have just settled their long-running legal dispute
- The settlement sees Google make major Play Store concessions
- That could bring sweeping changes to the Android ecosystem
Google and Epic Games have been locked in a legal tussle over the future of the Google Play Store for years. But with the dispute largely going Epic’s way of late, the two companies have decided to reach a settlement – and it could change the entire Android ecosystem forever.
The settlement sees Google make sweeping concessions to Epic, altering its Play Store in radical ways and potentially making it unrecognizable compared to before. In the end, that could be great news for Android fans.
In short, Android developers will no longer be forced to use Google Play Billing when charging users in apps or through external links, and will instead be able to use alternative payment methods. Google will also allow the installation of Registered App Stores – that is, alternative app stores – that will have access to the full catalog of Google Play apps.
Aside from giving users more choice, Google is also lowering the fees it charges developers. The situation is fairly complex, but the long and short of it is that Google can charge 20% for in-app purchases that provide more than a de minimis gameplay advantage (presumably, things like power-ups), or 9% for anything that provides no advantage (like extra levels). Google’s fee is also 9% for subscriptions, non-game app purchases, and up-front payments. And if apps want to use Google Play Billing, Google will charge an additional 5%.
These fees are lower than those developers had been paying previously, which could reach 30%. That raises the possibility that developers might pass those savings on to users. If paying for apps and in-app purchases is about to get cheaper, that’s a win for Android users.
It’s also worth noting that the settlement affects users globally, not just in the United States, and remains valid until June 2032 (a period of 6.5 years). When Google initially lost its case against Epic, the presiding judge ruled that the enforced changes would be valid only in the United States and for a period of just three years.
While there is much nuance in the settlement – the fees charged to developers depend on the date a user installed an app, with the new model only applying to apps freshly installed after October 2025, for example – it’s clear that Google has conceded a lot of ground here. The settlement is now just awaiting approval from the trial judge, which should happen today. With any luck, Google’s concessions will result in a better, more affordable future for Android users.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
