Overview
- Google and Epic jointly withdrew their motion to alter Judge James Donato’s permanent injunction, and Google told the court it is prepared to begin carrying third-party app stores inside Google Play on July 22, 2026.
- Google has opened a Play Catalog Access Program that will automatically share U.S. developers’ app listings with enrolled third-party stores unless developers opt out, and it requires stores to pay a $5,000 annual fee for security and policy reviews.
- The program sets strict rules for enrolling stores, including U.S.-only distribution from the catalog, non-discrimination in developer access, and a malware threshold for install attempts, while leaving key billing and revenue-routing mechanics unclear.
- The change lets many developers offer outside payment systems and avoid Google’s fees in cases, creating a near-term opening for rivals such as Microsoft’s Xbox to launch mobile storefronts and sell games directly on Android.
- The move implements Judge Donato’s October 2024 ruling that forcing Google to carry rival stores would remedy unlawful app-distribution practices, and Google may use a different ‘Registered App Store’ model outside the U.S.