Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fortnite maker Epic Games, praised a proposal by Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) to open up Android in the U.S. Epic v. Google case, subject to court approval.
Google’s Proposal Could ‘Resolve’ Litigation Issues
Sweeney took to X on Tuesday, and called the proposal a "comprehensive solution" consistent with Android's original vision of an open platform. He emphasized that, if approved by the court, the plan would simplify the global installation of competing app stores, lower developer service fees on Google Play, and allow third-party in-app and web-based payment options.
He also contrasted this proposal with Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) model, which he described as “blocking all competing stores and leaving payments as the only vector for competition.”
Notably, Sweeney’s post was in response to a post by Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystems at Google. Samat stated that the proposal focuses on “expanding developer choice and flexibility, lowering fees, and encouraging more competition, all while keeping users safe.”
If the court approves the proposal on Thursday, it will “resolve” the litigation issues as per Samat.
App Stores Face Legal Woes
Google’s proposal comes amid ongoing legal battles with Epic Games and other companies over its app store policies. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block a lower court order requiring Google to overhaul its Play Store, marking a significant win for Epic Games. This proposal could be a step towards resolving these disputes.
Meanwhile, Apple has been facing its own legal challenges over its app store fees. In October, the U.K. Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled against Apple, accusing the tech giant of “abusing its dominant position by charging app developers an unfair 30% commission through its app store.” The iPhone maker is also embroiled in a continuing dispute with Epic, which earlier this year compelled the iPhone maker—through similar court rulings—to reinstate Fortnite on the App Store and allow alternative payment options.
Google’s Strong Earnings
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has been experiencing a significant stock rally, with shares rising nearly 5% to $286 in October.
This rally follows a blockbuster third-quarter report and increasing analyst confidence in Alphabet’s AI momentum. The company also reported a record $100 billion revenue quarter, signaling that its aggressive "full stack" approach to AI is translating into significant financial gains across its core businesses.
Over the past six months, Alphabet stock has rallied 67.46%. On Tuesday, it closed over 2% lower at $278.06 amid a broader sell-off in AI-related stocks.
Benzinga's Edge Rankings place Alphabet in the 86th percentile for quality and the 90th percentile for momentum, reflecting its strong performance in both areas. Check the detailed report here.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
