Google agreed to pay $700 million and change its app store policies to settle one of several antitrust lawsuits related to its handling of apps on Android devices.
The late Monday settlement relates to a 2021 suit filed by a group of 36 states in federal court in California alleging that Google was diminishing opportunities for competition and app distribution. The settlement had been announced in September, but details were not released until Monday.
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“This settlement builds on Android’s choice and flexibility, maintains strong security protections, and retains Google’s ability to compete” with other operating systems, Wilson White, Google’s vice president for government affairs and public policy, said in a statement.
The settlement will create a $630 million common fund to benefit consumers and a $70 million fund to resolve state claims for various legal fees, restitution, and other costs.
“Each eligible consumer will receive at least $2 and will receive additional payments in proportion to their Google Play spending during the period between August 16, 2016 and September 30, 2023,” Google said in the settlement.
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Last week, Google suffered a loss in a court trial with Fortnite developer Epic Games when a jury decided that Google had an illegal monopoly over its Android app store.
The court judge overseeing Epic’s trial is expected to decide the relief Google will pay in January.
