Google Reaches Tentative Settlement Is US Play Store Lawsuit: All You Need To Know

The primary contention revolves around Google's purported insistence that certain apps exclusively utilise the company's payment systems.

Google, has reached a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging violations of US federal antitrust regulations within its US Google Play store, as revealed in a recent court filing. The specifics of the settlement remain undisclosed at this time. The lawsuit was initiated by over 30 US states on behalf of 21 million consumers. Plaintiffs asserted that Google's alleged monopolistic practices led to inflated costs for consumers and limited their app choices.

Parties involved in the settlement, including legal representatives for Utah's attorney general, who leads the coalition of states, have requested the cancellation of the trial initially scheduled for November 6.

Google, consistently denying any wrongdoing, has refrained from offering comment on the proposed settlement, as reported by Reuters. Lawyers representing consumer plaintiffs have also remained tight-lipped on the matter. Meanwhile, lawyers representing the states and the District of Columbia have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the settlement.

It's important to note that court approval is still required for the settlement to be finalised.

Google is concurrently confronting analogous lawsuits alleging that it has garnered substantial profits through the Play Store by allegedly employing illicit tactics to sustain its monopolistic hold on the sale of Android apps and in-app purchases.

The primary contention revolves around Google's purported insistence that certain apps exclusively utilise the company's payment systems, entailing a significant 30 per cent cut of digital goods sales.

Notably, Epic Games, a vocal plaintiff in this matter, is not part of the prospective settlement. Epic Games' founder and CEO, Tim Sweeney, addressed the situation on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing willingness to settle if Google were to abandon its payment monopoly without imposing a so-called "Google Tax" on third-party transactions. However, Sweeney asserted that if the settlement preserved the "Google tax," the company would continue its legal battle.

Match Group, another litigant in this context, has refrained from offering public comments on the ongoing developments, as reported by Reuters.