Court upholds Epic win in Google Play Store antitrust battle

A panel of judges has dismissed Google's appeal against an antitrust verdict over its Play Store business practices.

The affirmation [PDF] of the earlier jury verdict – that "Google had violated federal and state antitrust laws in the markets for Android app distribution and Android in-app billing services" – means some significant changes could be inbound for the Google Play Store.

Tim Sweeney, boss of Epic Games, which has been fighting Google in court over the past few years, was unable to conceal his delight and posted on social media: "Total victory in the Epic v Google appeal!"

The three-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals affirmed the previous order forbidding Google from engaging in business practices including prohibiting developers from directing users away from its payment services, a tactic used to bolster the company's Play Store dominance.

Google has filed for an emergency administrative stay as ...