For those of you who've been following the drama between Epic and Google - who have been involved in a legal dispute over app stores on Android - we can now report that the two parties have finally reached an agreement. If approved, it could completely change the rules of the game for Android going forward.
A previous court ruling forced Google to allow competing app stores and payment systems but only in the U.S. and only for a three-year period. The settlement introduces a new model that will apply globally and extend all the way to June 2032.
In concrete terms, the change means that Google is offering to lower its service fee to 20% or 9%, depending on the type of transaction. In addition, the next version of Android will include a program for so-called "registered app stores," allowing the installation of a competing store.
Epic boss Tim Sweeney said in a statement:
"Google has made an awesome proposal, subject to court approval, to open up Android in the US Epic v Google case and settle our disputes. It genuinely doubles down on Android's original vision as an open platform to streamline competing store installs globally, reduce service fees for developers on Google Play, and enable third-party in-app and web payments. This is a comprehensive solution, which stands in contrast to Apple's model of blocking all competing stores and leaving payments as the only vector for competition. The public filings are live."
For everyone using Android, this will mean even more freedom going forward. Not just for users but also for developers. At the same time, it puts significant responsibility on Google to actually deliver on its promises and ensure the changes are truly implemented globally.
What do you think about this? Good or bad?