Google will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval, ending a bruising legal battle that led to one of several rulings condemning its tactics as an illegal monopoly.
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S. Rep. Tony Gonzales addresses affair accusations on YouTube show, says he ‘made a mistake’With one post, President Trump shakes up Republican runoff for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas Read full article: With one post, President Trump shakes up Republican runoff for the U.S. Senate seat in TexasFormer Frio County election judge calls $50M lawsuit ‘witness intimidation’ tied to vote harvesting probeFILE - The Epic Games logo is seen in San Francisco on Sept. 1, 2010. – Google will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval, ending a bruising legal battle that led to one of several rulings condemning its tactics as an illegal monopoly. The proposed changes filed Wednesday with a federal court in San Francisco mark the latest twist in a case that began in August 2020 when video game maker Epic Games filed an antitrust case seeking to make it easier for alternative payment options to compete against Google's Play Store system, which charges 15% to 30% commissions on a wide variety of in-app transactions.of the company's attempt to overturn a federal judge's order requiring a far more extensive overhaul of the Play Store following a 2023 trial that culminated Backed into a legal corner, Google is now prepared to decrease its baseline commissions for subscriptions and e-commerce transactions into the 10% to 20% range. It's also offering an optional 5% payment processing charge that would be applied in addition to the other service fees for apps that prefer to keep everything within the Play Store. App developers could still choose to rely on another payment processing system besides Google's and consumers will be able to download apps from alternative stores that go through a certification process. Although not required, alternative app stores that go through the Google's registration process are less likely to provoke warnings about security risks., but Google already is moving ahead with it plan to lower its fees worldwide. The Mountain View, California, company intends to begin the rollout in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Google is seeking an April 9 hearing before the judge to answer any questions about the revisions, which are being backed by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, whose North Carolina company is best known for making the Fortnite video game. “Epic has been advocating for open platforms for a long time and this really brings Android up to the status of a truly open platform,” Sweeney told The Associated Press during an interview that also included Sameer Samat, the Google executive in charge of Android. “We think it’s really great to focus more energy and time on building than on quarreling,” Samat said about Google's decision to finally strike a truce with Epic after years of acrimony. The lower fees are likely to dent the profits of Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., which is in a better position to weather the blow now that its market value stands at $3.7 trillion — four times more than when Epic filed its lawsuit.is weighing Epic’s 2020 attack against Google’s Play Store coincided with a similar crusade against Apple’s iPhone app store that still remains entangled in some legal disputes about how alternative payment systems can be managed. Sweeney isn't optimistic about reaching a deal with Apple that mirrors the Google concessions because the cases played out differently. In the Apple lawsuit, a federal judgebut still ordered changes designed to make it easier for consumers to navigate to alternative payment options — a shift that Epic argues still hasn't occurred. For now, Sweeney intends to savor the outcome of the Play Store case set to the soundtrack of a classic tune by the Rolling Stones. “As the song says, ‘You can’t always get what you want, but if you try, you can often get what you need,’ ” Sweeney said. “And what we need is competition.” Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Election Update on US Rep. Dist. 21New $185 million luxury Hemisfair hotel opens its doorsSan Antonio blood donations needed after Austin mass shooting impacts inventoryWar in Middle East leaves San Antonio family trapped in IsraelSan Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones censured in historic firstSan Antonio's Animal Care Services is trying to track down a cat with a jar stuck on its headWoman brutally attacked by husband who killed daughter, attacked other child gives impact statementSeguin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.SNeighbor, police still haunted by unsolved murder of woman on East SideNew West Side thrift store supports at-risk shelter animals
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Google makes concessions to settles app store dispute with Epic GamesGoogle will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval, ending a bruising legal battle that led to one of several rulings condemning its tactics as an illegal monopoly.
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Google settles with Epic Games with offer to lower its app store commissionsGoogle will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval, ending a bruising legal battle that led to one of several rulings condemning its tactics as an illegal monopoly.
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Google settles with Epic Games with offer to lower its app store commissionsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval,
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Google settles with Epic Games with offer to lower its app store commissionsGoogle is planning to extend this new Play Store template globally.
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Epic and Google have signed a special deal for a new class of ‘metaverse’ appsEpic and Google agreed to terms about a new class of apps that they’re calling “metaverse browsers,” according to a heavily redacted section of a binding term sheet.
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