A California judge has temporarily halted an order that would have forced Google to revamp its Android Play Store by November 1, stalling significant changes intended to give consumers more freedom in how they download apps and make in-app payments. The injunction, originally issued on October 7, stemmed from an ongoing antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite.
Judge James Donato granted Google’s request to pause the order, arguing that delaying enforcement would allow the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to assess Google’s challenge. The tech giant insisted that the mandated changes could jeopardize security, privacy, and safety across the Android ecosystem. However, Donato denied Google’s bid for a longer suspension throughout its broader appeal process.
Google expressed relief at the temporary pause, calling Epic’s proposed remedies “dangerous” and emphasizing that the company would seek further suspension through the appellate court. Meanwhile, Epic dismissed the delay as a mere procedural move, accusing Google of fearmongering and resisting competition by exaggerating security risks to maintain its dominance.
The antitrust dispute traces back to a jury ruling last year, which concluded that Google unlawfully monopolized Android’s app distribution and in-app payment systems. Following this decision, Donato embraced Epic’s recommendations, ordering Google to allow third-party app stores within Play and enable competing payment options. He also barred the company from paying manufacturers to preinstall the Play Store and from sharing app store revenue with other distributors.
Google, now appealing both the judge’s order and the underlying antitrust ruling, maintains that it does not operate as a monopoly, citing Apple’s App Store as a direct competitor. The company argues that Donato’s injunction would force it to do business with rivals, setting a dangerous precedent.
The next phase of this high-stakes legal battle now rests with the 9th Circuit, which will determine whether Google must implement sweeping changes or continue defending its current business model.
