Google Reaches Tentative Settlement With 36 States and DC Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
U.S. News & World Report Thirty-six states and the District of Colombia have reached an agreement in principle with Google to settle a lawsuit filed in 2021 over the tech giant's alleged monopolistic control of app distribution for the software that runs most of the world's cellphones.
The agreement, cited in a court filing late Tuesday by both sides, is subject to approval by the state attorneys general and the board of directors of Google's parent company, the execution of an agreement and court approval.
Terms were not disclosed. The Utah attorney general's office, the lead plaintiff, did not offer immediate comment, nor did Google.
"We don't have a comment at this time, Google spokesperson Peter Shottenfels said via email.
A trial date had been set for Nov. 6.
The complaint filed in a Northern California federal court echoed similar allegations that mobile game maker Epic Games made against Google that is scheduled to go to trial in November.
Apple prevailed in a separate suit Epic filed against it over the separate app store it runs exclusively for iPhones, with a federal appeals court upholding in April its sole control of app distribution.
