Google agreed to pay $700 million and make other concessions to end accusations that it has been inhibiting competition against its Android app store — the same issue that went to trial in a separate case that could lead to even more changes. deep
While Google reached the agreement with the attorneys general of several US states in September, the details were not made public until Monday night, in documents filed in federal court in San Francisco.
The revelation comes a week after a federal court admonished Google for applying monopolistic tactics in its Play Store for Android apps.
The settlement with state governments includes $630 million to compensate consumers who were led to a payment processing system that prosecutors say inflated prices for digital transactions within apps downloaded from the Play Store. That store supports the Android software that controls most of the world’s smartphones.
Like Apple does with its app store on iPhones, Google charges commissions of between 15% and 30% on app sales, and prosecutors maintain that those commissions inflate prices more than they would have risen if there were an open market. for payment processing. The commissions resulted in billions of dollars in profits for Google annually, according to evidence presented at trial.
Eligible consumers will receive at least $2, according to the agreement, and could receive more based on how much they spent in the Play Store between August 16 and September 30, 2023. Consumers will receive automated notifications about the various options they have to receive your compensation.
Another $70 million included in the deal will cover penalties and other expenses that Google is being forced to pay to states.
Google also agreed to make other changes to make it easier for consumers to download and install Android apps from stores other than its Play Store over the next five years. It will refrain from issuing the alerts it has been sending when other alternatives are being used.
Source: AP
