In a major antitrust settlement, the technology giant Google has agreed to pay $700 million to dozens of U.S. states and consumers over allegations that it unlawfully monopolized the market for Android apps. The settlement ends a lengthy legal battle that accused Google of using restrictive contracts and tactics to beat out competition in its Play Store, through which Android users download apps.
The settlement, filed in federal court in San Francisco on Monday, requires Google to allow more competition in its dominant Play Store. This could fundamentally shift the app ecosystem on Android phones to be more favorable for app developers and potentially result in more innovation.
Specifically, Google has committed to allowing developers to use third-party billing systems for in-app purchases – payments for features and services within apps. This means developers can avoid Google’s service fees for transactions, which range between 15-30%. For years, Google had barred or discouraged developers from using alternative payment processing methods.
The settlement stems from an antitrust lawsuit originally filed in 2020 by a coalition of 37 state attorneys general. The states accused Google of anticompetitive conduct in how it operates the Play Store and also in deals it made with wireless carriers and smartphone makers to establish Google Search as the default search engine on Android devices.
“We demonstrated in the recent trial that Android devices compete fiercely with iOS devices,” a Google spokesperson said, pushing back on accusations that Android operates as a monopoly. “Billions of consumers have chosen Android for its choice, flexibility and openness.”
$700 Million Payment Resolves Legal Claims
To resolve the case, Google will pay $630 million into a fund that will provide direct payments to consumers that purchased paid apps, in-app digital content and subscriptions through the Play Store. Google estimates that most consumers will receive at least $2 each and some could receive up to hundreds of dollars depending on their level of spending.
An additional $70 million will go towards legal fees and administrative costs incurred by the states during the litigation. Ultimately, over 100 million consumers stand to benefit from the settlement fund, according to legal filings.
While Google admits no formal wrongdoing, its willingness to pay such a large settlement and change longstanding Play Store policies amounts to a major win for the state prosecutors and Federal Trade Commission officials scrutinizing Big Tech’s power. It also builds momentum for ongoing antitrust legislation aimed at curtailing the dominance of Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook.
This settlement agreement will bring meaningful change to the Google Play Store and app ecosystem,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the leaders of the case. “By cracking down on anti-competitive practices, our coalition has worked to promote an open app ecosystem that leads to more choices, increased innovation, and lower costs for consumers.”
Google Faced Growing Legal Pressure
The Play Store settlement removes a major legal liability for Google as it fights antitrust challenges on multiple fronts both in the U.S. and abroad. Google faces another lawsuit led by dozens of state prosecutors specifically targeting Google’s online advertising practices. And last week, Google suffered a blow when a federal jury ruled its Play Store business tactics violated antitrust law.
That case was brought by video game maker Epic Games and centered on almost identical accusations regarding Google’s app marketplace dominance and barriers blocking alternative payment systems. The Epic v. Google verdict – in which the Fortnite creator could receive over $200 million in damages – communicated to Google that its Play Store policies likely violated competition laws.
“This put enormous pressure on Google to take steps addressing very real antitrust issues,” said Paul Swanson, an antitrust lawyer at Clifford Law. “With the Epic judgment last week, as well as ongoing FTC and state investigations, Google had to make changes preemptively or risk far greater liability down the road.”
As part of Google’s commitments in Monday’s settlement, it has agreed to provide all app developers expanded billing system alternatives for the next 5 years. Google will also improve transparency around how it handles ratings, reviews, downloading and promotions of rival apps that compete with Google’s own services. An independent monitor will ensure Google sticks to its pledges.
The Play Store case underscores broader reckoning for the handful of American tech giants that wield great influence over the digital economy. Google and Apple in particular face accusations they create choke points via their dominant app stores, taking hefty commissions that make it extraordinarily difficult for smaller companies to gain traction. Such market power ultimately limits innovation and hurts consumers through higher prices and fewer choices, antitrust experts argue.
While Google settled part of this fight, it continues battling in court against other allegations of monopolistic business practices across its vast ecosystem. For rivals and regulators, however, Monday’s Play Store settlement represents a long-sought attempt at last loosen Google and Apple’s grip on the apps powering smartphones.
