Google Seeks Supreme Court Delay of App Store Overhaul Pending Review

Google has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a lower court ruling that requires it to make significant changes to its Google Play app store policies, warning that implementing these changes would cause "irreparable harm" to the company and the Android ecosystem. The ruling stems from an antitrust case filed by Epic Games, which accused Google of monopolistic practices by restricting developers from using alternative app marketplaces and payment systems. A jury found in favor of Epic Games in December 2023, leading to a permanent injunction that forces Google to open its app store to competitors and allow developers to bypass Google's billing system. Google argues that the ruling threatens user security, innovation, and its ability to recover costs, while Epic claims the changes will foster competition and lower prices. The injunction is scheduled to take effect on October 22, 2025, but Google has requested a stay pending appeal, emphasizing the potential broad impact on over 100 million Android users and half a million developers in the U.S. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to intervene will be pivotal in shaping the future of app distribution and payments on Android devices.