Epic Games’ long-running battle with Google has reached a decisive end. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Google’s appeal, upholding earlier rulings from 2023 and 2024 that went in favor of Epic.
Back in August, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Google’s attempt to overturn those decisions. With the Supreme Court now dismissing its appeal, Google has no legal path left and must comply with all previous court directives starting October 22.
Under the new rules, Google must make its Play Store more open to competition. App developers will be allowed to use their own billing systems for apps and subscriptions instead of relying on Google’s payment platform. This move will also let developers avoid the 30% service fee often criticized as the “app tax.”
According to the source[1], developers will have the freedom to link users directly to download options outside the Play Store. Google can no longer show warning screens or pop-ups that discourage users from installing apps from third-party sources.
The court’s order also restricts Google from offering financial incentives or benefits to device makers and carriers for excluding other app stores. In the coming three years, Google must also ensure that third-party app stores are visible and fully functional within the Play Store, giving them equal access to the app ecosystem.