Google has asked the appeals court to halt changes ordered by Judge James Donato, who presided over the Epic Games case. The search giant has also requested the same from Judge Donato himself, but any decision will only be made on Friday, October 18.
The company is appealing a ruling that will require it to allow third-party app stores on its Play Store, lift restrictions on payment systems, and implement other changes. The changes are scheduled to take effect on November 1. Despite Judge Donato dismissing Google’s previous arguments as “insufficient,” Google maintains that the injunction compromises user safety. The company stated that the ruling “threatens Google Play’s ability to provide users with a safe and secure experience.”
Google Warns of Security Risks and Disruption
Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, voiced the company’s concerns, stating, “This won’t just hurt Google — it will hurt Android users, developers, and the device makers who have built thriving businesses on Android.”
The company’s document breaks down its key arguments:
- Third-party app stores could compromise security and privacy by being distributed through Google Play.
- Developers’ control over distribution would weaken with increased third-party stores, posing risks for users.
- Allowing external download links from within apps creates safety risks.
- Removing Google Play billing would strip key protections users rely on.
- Rushing the rollout of these legal changes increases risks for users, developers, and device makers.
Fundamental Concerns Over Play Store Redesign
Google argues that the ruling, initiated at Epic Games’ request, will require a substantial redesign of the Play Store, adds NIX Solutions. “The district court ordered a massive redesign of Play that would expose more than 100 million U.S. Android device users to significant new security risks and force fundamental changes to Google’s contractual and business relationships with hundreds of thousands of Google partners,” the document states. Google further claims that being given only three weeks to implement such sweeping changes creates “an unacceptable risk of disruption to Android’s security and ecosystem.”
We’ll keep you updated as the situation unfolds.