As we speak, the court docket overseeing our ongoing U.S. authorized proceedings with Epic Video games ordered modifications to Android and Google Play, requested by Epic. As we’ve already acknowledged, these modifications would put shoppers’ privateness and safety in danger, make it tougher for builders to advertise their apps, and cut back competitors on gadgets. In the end, whereas these modifications presumably fulfill Epic, they are going to trigger a variety of unintended penalties that may hurt American shoppers, builders and system makers.
These Epic-requested modifications stem from a choice that’s fully opposite to a different court docket’s rejection of comparable claims Epic made towards Apple — despite the fact that, not like iOS, Android is an open platform that has all the time allowed for selection and suppleness like a number of app shops and sideloading.
We’re interesting that underlying choice and we’ll ask the courts to pause Epic’s requested modifications, pending that enchantment. Our enchantment will present that:
- Apple and Google compete straight for shoppers: The choice rests on a flawed discovering that Android is a market in itself. In distinction, the Apple choice, upheld on enchantment, rightly discovered that Android and iOS compete in the identical market. That is apparent to anybody who has purchased a smartphone. Stroll right into a retailer that sells smartphones and also you’ll see the choices side-by-side — Android telephones from corporations like Samsung, Motorola and lots of others competing proper subsequent to Apple’s iPhone. Folks select between these telephones based mostly on value, high quality and safety.
- Google and Apple compete straight for app builders: The choice ignores what each developer on the earth is aware of — they must prioritize investing in growing for iPhones and Androids. Builders have finite assets and must resolve how a lot money and time to commit to constructing and updating their apps for every platform. Like several enterprise, Google desires builders to supply their finest options for Android and to launch them on Android first. So we construct instruments, run coaching applications and put money into making it as straightforward as attainable to develop for Android. Apple in fact does the identical — competing to persuade builders to prioritize iOS.
- Android is open and Google Play just isn’t the one approach to get apps: The choice fails to consider that Android is an open platform and builders have all the time had many choices in the way to distribute their apps. In actual fact, most Android gadgets come preloaded with two or extra app shops proper out of the field. Builders produce other choices too, resembling providing their apps on to customers from their web sites. For instance, Epic Video games has made its standard Fortnite app accessible to Android customers by way of the Samsung Galaxy Retailer, sideloading, and the Epic Video games Retailer – all whereas Fortnite was not distributed by way of Google Play. These are choices that builders have by no means been in a position to provide to their American customers on iPhones.
Android has helped increase selection, cut back costs and democratize entry to smartphones and apps. The preliminary choice and immediately’s Epic-requested modifications put that in danger and undercut Android’s capacity to compete with Apple’s iOS.
We stay up for persevering with to make our case on enchantment, and we’ll preserve advocating for what’s finest for builders, system producers and the billions of Android customers around the globe.
