Court orders Google to open up the Play Store in the U.S.
Basically, the court has ordered the Mountain View tech giant to offer a more open Google Play Store experience in the United States. Developers can now tell people if it will be cheaper to buy their app or make an in-app purchase, or buy a subscription outside the Google Play Store.This change is applied only in the United States, though, so for the rest of the world, things are going to remain the same as they were before for now.
So basically now, developers can provide you with a link to download the app outside the Play Store. You are also able to make payments to developers outside of Google’s app platform.
Also, Google won’t require the use of Google Play Billing in apps that are distributed on the Play Store, and won’t prohibit the use of any in-app payment methods that are not Play Billing. These payment methods include PayPal, direct credit card payments, and other systems or ways to pay.
With this change, developers are free to tell you about any payment method they offer other than Play Billing.
Epic vs Google and Apple
Obviously, Google has been fighting to prevent this outcome, but the court decided against it. The policy will continue until the court order remains in effect, which is until November 1, 2027. It’s likely that Google will look for all legal ways to regain control over payments on Android phones, though.
The entire fight was started by Epic Games when the game maker disputed the commission that Apple and Google were taking from in-app purchases. It’s been five years of ongoing legal battles with the two tech giants ever since.
To give a quick overview of how we got here: Epic Games originally clashed with Apple and Google back in 2020 when it deliberately tried to bypass the in-app purchase rules, by offering a direct payment option in its game Fortnite. That triggered both tech companies to remove the game from their stores.
In the case against Google, Epic claimed that Google’s rules around the Play Store – including requiring the use of its payment system and discouraging other app stores – amounted to anti-competitive practices. A jury agreed with Epic in December 2023, finding Google had an illegal monopoly in certain respects.
Then in October 2024, a judge issued a permanent injunction requiring Google to open up more, including allowing third-party stores on Android devices, letting developers use payment methods outside Play Billing, and giving users more choice when downloading apps.
Google appealed, but in July 2025 the Ninth Circuit upheld the lower-court ruling and rejected Google’s appeal – meaning the changes are moving forward.
That’s a big fight
Honestly, I’m kind of on the fence about it. I don’t really download apps from outside the Play Store, so for me, this probably won’t change much in daily life.
Still, I think it’s good that developers finally get a bit more freedom. It feels fairer, and in the long run, it could mean better deals or new kinds of apps for users like me. Even if I stick to the Play Store most of the time, I like knowing that the system is becoming more open – it just makes everything feel a bit less locked down.
