Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has been found guilty in an antitrust case against it by Epic Games. A federal jury in California concluded that Google maintains a monopoly in the distribution and payments market of its app store.
The lawsuit was initially filed by Epic Games three years ago, claiming that Google exploited its dominant position in the Android app distribution market to generate profits from app developers. Epic argued that Google’s practices stifled competition within its highly profitable app store, where it imposed fees ranging from 15% to 30% on digital transactions conducted inside apps. In response, Google maintained that the partnerships it formed actually enhanced the ability of Android phones to compete against its rival, Apple.
Following a four-week trial, the jury reached a unanimous verdict after just three hours of deliberation, according to the Associated Press.
Next, a U.S. District Court judge in California will determine whether Google must allow for payment and app distribution beyond its proprietary Google Play app store.
