Google defends app store, fighting Epic Games' bid for major reforms

Fortnite game installing on Android operating system in this illustration taken, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo

(Reuters) - Google has asked a U.S. judge not to impose sweeping changes to the Alphabet unit's app store Play that were proposed by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games in the companies' closely-watched antitrust fight.

Google made its filing late on Thursday in San Francisco federal court, where Epic last year persuaded a jury that the tech giant unlawfully stifled competition with its controls over apps downloads on Android devices and payments to developers for in-app transactions.