Judge orders Google to streamline third-party app store installations

The courtroom confrontation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Google. Nearly three years after a jury determined Google maintained an illegal monopoly over Android applications, the company remains under judicial pressure to open its ecosystem. During a live demonstration, Epic’s counsel Yonatan Even highlighted that searching for “store for apps” within the Google Play Store yields results for physical retailers rather than digital marketplaces.

Judge Donato expressed visible frustration when the search failed to surface relevant competitors, labeling the outcome “not acceptable” and ordering an immediate update to the search algorithm to include all semantically relevant variations. Beyond search functionality, the court took issue with the multi-step installation process for rival stores. Specifically, the requirement to toggle a “view” button before initiating an installation was deemed an excessive barrier. Google’s legal team has committed to implementing these changes, marking another shift in how the company must facilitate third-party competition on its platform.