Google’s Resistance Against Opening Up the Play Store to Third-Party App Stores

Google estimates that it would take at least 12 to 18 months and cost over $60 million to allow third-party app stores, like the Epic Games Store, to operate within its Google Play Store. The company warns about the potential reputational damage and claims that these changes would require a significant redesign of the Play Store and Android, negatively impacting users, developers, and the Android ecosystem.

While the details of Epic’s victory against Google in court still remain undisclosed, it is clear that Epic wants Google to open up its Android app store to competition. The judge ordered Google to determine the cost of implementing these changes, and Google’s estimates have now been revealed.

To offer “catalog access,” allowing third-party app stores to access Google Play apps, Google estimates it would take 12 to 16 months and cost between $27.5 million and $66.9 million. The implementation of “library porting,” enabling users to transfer ownership of their Android apps to third-party app stores in bulk, would require 12 months and cost between $1.7 million and $2.4 million. Lastly, the distribution of third-party app stores within Google Play would take 12 to 16 months and cost between $32.1 million and $67.7 million.

Google argues that these changes would create significant regulatory and compliance risks for app developers and pose potential threats to user safety and its reputation. The company raises concerns about ill-intentioned app stores intermingling Google’s catalog with malware or pirated apps.

Financially, while the estimated costs may seem substantial, it is worth noting that Google generates billions of dollars in profit from the Google Play Store each quarter. In 2021, the company forecasted a profit of nearly $12 billion for the year, which amounts to over $31 million in profit per day.

Epic Games will have the opportunity to question Google’s estimates and present their rebuttal. The final hearing in court is scheduled for August 14th. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the future of app distribution on the Android platform.

– One of the main questions surrounding Google’s resistance to opening up the Play Store to third-party app stores is whether it is a monopolistic practice that stifles competition.
– Another important question is whether allowing third-party app stores would ultimately benefit users by providing more choice and potentially lower prices for apps.
– A key challenge associated with opening up the Play Store is the potential increase in malware and pirated apps that could harm users’ devices and compromise their data security.
– There is also controversy surrounding Google’s control over app distribution and its ability to prioritize its own apps and services over competitors within the Play Store.
– An advantage of allowing third-party app stores is that it would promote competition, potentially leading to innovation and higher quality apps.
– Disadvantages include the potential fragmentation of the Android ecosystem due to multiple app stores, which could make it more difficult for developers to reach a wide audience.
– Moreover, the potential loss of revenue for Google from the Play Store could impact the company’s ability to invest in future Android updates and improvements.
– For more information on the topic, you can visit this Reuters article.