Epic alleges that Google has been illegally driving up fees and restricting rivals from distributing their apps directly.
Epic Games has taken Google to court over antitrust claims related to the Play Store's in-house payment system.
Epic is not seeking financial compensation but is calling for changes to Google's practices.
The trial will include testimony from Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.
Epic Games, the creator of the popular video game Fortnite, has taken Google to court over antitrust claims related to the Play Store's in-house payment system. Epic alleges that Google has been illegally driving up fees and restricting rivals from distributing their apps directly. However, Google refutes these claims, stating that Android allows developers to distribute through multiple app stores or directly to users through the web.
The trial is set to last until just before Christmas and will include testimony from Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company. This legal battle comes as Google is already entangled in a major U.S. antitrust trial over its dominance of internet search.
Epic is not seeking financial compensation but is calling for changes to Google's practices. The outcome of this trial could potentially undermine the commissions that both Apple and Google collect on digital purchases made within a mobile app. Google defends its commissions as a way to be compensated for its investment into the Play Store and asserts that the controls over it are a way to protect the security of users who download apps for phones powered by Android.
This trial is part of a wider effort by tech regulators to curb the ever-increasing power of Big Tech. The case is brought to light after Epic tried to bypass the Play Store's fees by letting Fortnite players pay Epic directly for in-app items, which led to Google barring the game from the store.
Epic will argue that Google is using its monopolistic power over app developers on its Google Play Store on Android mobile phones.
This comes after Epic tried to bypass the Play Store's fees by letting Fortnite players pay Epic directly for in-app items, which led to Google barring the game from the store.
This trial is part of a wider effort by tech regulators to curb the ever-increasing power of Big Tech.
The outcome of that trial opened the possibility for apps to provide links to other payment options, potentially undermining the commissions that both Apple and Google collect on digital purchases made within a mobile app.
Google defends its commissions as a way to be compensated for its investment into the Play Store and asserts that the controls over it are a way to protect the security of users who download apps for phones powered by Android.