Google Nears Deal with 36 States and DC in App Store Monopoly Probe

Google has reached a preliminary agreement with 36 U.S. states and the District of Columbia to settle a lawsuit filed in 2021. The lawsuit accused Google of having a monopoly over app distribution on most smartphones globally. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed and are subject to approval by state attorneys general and Google’s parent company’s board of directors. The trial date, originally set for November 6, may be affected by this development.

This lawsuit echoed similar allegations made by mobile game maker Epic Games against Google, with a separate trial scheduled for November. In contrast, Apple won a separate suit filed by Epic Games over its exclusive iPhone app store. Google still faces several major antitrust lawsuits related to its search and advertising practices filed by government agencies in the U.S. These cases are ongoing, with one set for trial on September 12.

The lawsuit led by Utah, among various actions taken against tech giants like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, primarily focused on Google’s control of its Play app store and its collection of up to 30% commissions on digital transactions within apps on Android smartphones. Google argued that Android allows more choices for consumers, but the lawsuit claimed that Google’s control represents an illegal monopoly.