Explore Business Standard
Associate Sponsors
Co-sponsor
Google Play Store
Google will lower the lucrative fees imposed on its Android app store and offer a way for rival options to gain its stamp of approval, ending a bruising legal battle that led to one of several rulings condemning its tactics as an illegal monopoly. The proposed changes filed on Wednesday with a federal court in San Francisco mark the latest twist in a case that began in August 2020 when video game maker Epic Games filed an antitrust case seeking make it easier for alternative payment options to compete against Google's Play Store system, which charges 15 per cent to 30 per cent commissions on a wide variety of in-app transactions. Google's concessions come five months after the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the company's attempt to overturn a federal judge's order requiring a far more extensive overhaul of the Play Store following a 2023 trial that culminated in a jury declaring the setup an illegal monopoly. Backed into a legal corner, Google is now prepared to ...
A federal appeals court has upheld a jury verdict condemning Google's Android app store as an illegal monopoly, clearing the way for a federal judge to enforce a potentially disruptive shakeup that's designed to give consumers more choices. The unanimous ruling issued Thursday by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivers a double-barrelled legal blow for Google, which has been waylaid in three separate antitrust trials that resulted in different pillars of its internet empire being declared as domineering scofflaws monopolies since late 2023. The unsuccessful appeal represents a major victory for video game maker Epic Games, which launched a legal crusade targeting Google's Play Store for Android apps and Apple's iPhone app store nearly five years ago in an attempt to bypass exclusive payment processing systems that charged 15% to 30% commissions on in-app transactions. The jury's December 2023 rebuke of Google's app store for Android-powered smartphones began a cascade of setback
Beleaguered edtech firm Byju's learning app has been delisted from Google Playstore due to non-payment of dues to its vendor Amazon Web Services, according to sources. While some of the other apps of Think and Learn, which operate under the Byju's brand, continue to be functional on Google Playstore. "BYJU's Learning app has been delisted from Playstore because of non-payment to Amazon Web Services, which provides support to the app. Byju's business is now being managed by an Insolvency Resolution Professional who has to manage all payment-related issues as well," a source told PTI. An email sent to Think and Learn's Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP) Shailendra Ajmera did not elicit any reply. Byju's Leaning App covered mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology for classes 412 and social studies for classes 68 as well. The app also provides preparation support for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and IAS. The app continues to be available on Apple's App Store. Byju's Pr
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has directed removal of the extracts from a confidential letter having revenue information of Google, from its last month's judgement against the internet giant on the Play Store policy. On March 28, the appellate tribunal had upheld fair trade regulator CCI's finding that the company's app store billing policy was unfair and restrictive for developers. However, it had slashed the penalty to almost a fourth to Rs 216 crore from Rs 936.44 crore. Alphabet Inc and Google Inc. have moved NCLAT to remove Paragraphs 97 to 100 from the 104-page order, submitting a letter dated October 6, 2022, which was a confidential document. This confidential document was in response to revenue information given by them. This had confidential revenue data. Even the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had maintained confidentiality. However, NCLAT, in the judgment on March 28, had quoted extracts from the confidential document in paragraphs 97 to ...
Appellate tribunal NCLAT on Friday upheld the order passed by fair trade regulator CCI against Google for abusing its dominant position with respect to Play Store policies, however, reduced the penalty on the tech giant to Rs 216 crore from Rs 936.44 crore. A two-member bench comprising Chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan and Technical Member Barun Mitra said Google "has abused its dominant position and has violated Section", however in some sections, violation was "not proved, but penalty was still leviable on proof of violation". "The penalty imposed on the Google is modified as per computation contained in paragraph 105 of this order. Thus, the penalty imposed on the Google for relevant turnover of last three preceding year of Rs 936.44 crores, is modified to the amount of Rs 216.69 crore (USD 2,98,89,312.39)," said the NCLAT order. As Google has already "deposited 10 per cent of the penalty in the present Appeal, rest of the amount of penalty shall be deposited by the Appellant ..