Google and Epic Games jointly withdrew their proposed modifications to a US court injunction on July 15, 2026, clearing the way for rival app stores to appear directly inside Google Play. Google has informed the court it is ready to begin carrying third-party app stores on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
The development stems from a lawsuit in which Judge James Donato of the US District Court ruled in October 2024 that Google held an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution. His permanent injunction required Google to host rival app stores within Google Play and share its full app catalog with those stores. Google challenged the ruling and later reached a settlement with Epic — including a reported $800 million deal — in an effort to replace the injunction with a less restrictive “Registered App Stores” system that users would have to sideload rather than access through Google Play directly. Judge Donato expressed skepticism about that alternative, and a hearing scheduled for July 16 was rendered unnecessary by the joint withdrawal.
In a statement, Google spokesperson Dan Jackson said the company withdrew the motion “rather than prolonging this process which creates uncertainty for the ecosystem,” adding that Google remains committed to complying with the court’s injunction.
Google is already notifying US app developers that their listings will automatically be made available to third-party stores starting July 22, unless they opt out. The company has also launched a Play Catalog Access Program for third-party stores to enroll. Participating stores will be charged an annual fee of $5,000 for security and policy reviews, must be open to all eligible developers, cannot distribute apps outside the US, must maintain non-discriminatory trust and safety policies, and must keep malware below one percent of install attempts.
The change applies only to the United States. Google has separately announced a sideloaded Registered App Stores program for the rest of the world, set to launch with a new version of Android later in 2026. How broader economics around app distribution fees and billing will be affected has not yet been fully disclosed.
Source: The Verge