The lawsuit filed in the United States alleging the Google Play Store’s monopoly has concluded, and Google has been ordered to pay damages.

Google to Pay $700 Million in Compensation

This legal action, initiated over the Google Play Store’s failure to allow third-party app stores and its exorbitant pricing for in-app purchases, has forced Google to take significant action in its own country. Following similar legal battles in Europe, a decision to prevent the monopoly has also been issued in the US.

The lawsuit, filed in 2021 by attorneys general from 52 US states, led by the state of Utah, alleged that the Google Play Store prevented rival app stores from being pre-installed on Android devices and overcharged consumers for in-app purchases. In the ongoing legal process, Google has settled and agreed to pay $700 million in compensation.

$630 million of this compensation will be distributed to users who were victimized by in-app purchases made through the Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023. The remaining $70 million will be shared among the states participating in the lawsuit.

In addition to the compensation, Google was also required to make significant changes to its Play Store applications. These changes include allowing developers to use alternative payment systems, allowing third-party app stores to be installed on Android devices, and eliminating the requirement that Google be the sole pre-installed app store on devices. These reforms are expected to take between four and seven years to complete.