Is Android really an open platform, as many supporters of the green robot claim? The CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, is not of this opinion. During the ongoing anti-TRSUT lawsuit, the American computer scientist stated that Big G’s is not an open operating system as many people think and/or want us to believe.
On the witness stand (San Francisco court), Sweeney once again reiterated how – in his opinion – the Play Store policies are illegal. These would allow Alphabet to maintain the monopoly in the app market for Android devices (smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and smart TVs).
Epic Games vs Google: the battle is fought in court
The legal battle began in 2020, when Epic released a version of Fortnite (its reference game) for Android but circumventing the Play Store billing system so as not to pay a 30% commission into Google’s coffers for each in-app purchase.
Google denies abusing its power to monopolize the market but if the judge were to issue a favorable verdict for Epic, the Mountain View giant could be forced to allow the use of alternative payment methods on its storeconsequently facing significantly lower revenues.
During his testimony, the CEO of Epic revealed that Google tried to make an agreement with his company to release Fortnite on the Play Store (it is one of the most played video games globally) and that the Californian company itself would make partnership “segrete” with Android mobile device manufacturers with the aim of strengthening the position of the Play Store.
Sweeney then stated that Epic does not want financial compensation, the objective is different: «We want the jury to find that Google violated the law and for the court to force Google to no longer enforce these policies». The same manager then told how he changed his mind about Big G’s operating system: over the years, realized that Android is “false open platform”as closed as Apple’s in terms of regulations that developers must follow.
A Google spokesperson, trying to defend the company, said that Epic is not in an unfavorable position. On the contrary, Take full advantage of Android’s deployment options making its Battle Royale available to billions of users around the world via the Samsung Galaxy Store and its website.
The secret deal with Spotify
Dan Harrison, who manages Google’s global partnerships, revealed that the Mountain View company has made a deal an agreement with Spotify which translates to a drastic reduction in commissions to be paid: Only 4% if users use the Play Store billing system, and as low as 0% for those who pay directly through the app.
By bringing attention to the deal with the music streaming giant, Epic tried to demonstrate that Google selectively offers certain companies discounted rates through special and “secret” partnerships. This, in the case of Spotify, also provides a payment method different from the Play Store billing, an advantage that is rarely granted.
The aforementioned Harrison responded by saying that such agreements are justified as they ensure that popular apps like Spotify are accessible and attract more users to Android devices.