Google must open Android to rival app stores: US court

The judge's order resulted from Google's defeat in an antitrust case brought by Epic, where a California jury decided that Google wields illegal monopoly power through its Android Play Store. — REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

SAN FRANCISCO: A US federal court ruled Thursday that Google must open its Android operating system to rival app stores, after the internet giant lost an appeal in an antitrust case filed by Fortnite maker Epic Games.

The ruling clears the way for the Epic Games shop to operate within the Google Play Store despite the latter's requirement that apps use Google's payment system, which collects commissions on transactions.