On Tuesday, Google settled a class action lawsuit alleging that the US Play Store had overcharged customers and infringed upon antitrust legislation. Details of the settlement have not been made public.
Plaintiffs from 30 US states, representing 21 million consumers, accused Google’s alleged monopoly of limiting options for consumers and forcing them to spend more.
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The attorney general of Utah, who is leading the suit, has requested the trial, originally scheduled for 6 November, be cancelled.
Google is currently embroiled in several lawsuits on its alleged Play Store monopoly. The suits claim that Google used illegal tactics, such as mandating apps use the company’s payment tools, to grant Google 30% of digital goods sales.
In April, an appeals court sided with Apple’s App Store rules in a long-running suit with Epic Games.
The win means that Apple can maintain control over its controversial App Store fees, despite the ongoing legal battle.
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By GlobalDataApple has been making regular changes to the way it operates its store since Epic sued the tech giant back in 2020.
Commenting on the class action settlement, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted: “If the settlement merely pays off the other plaintiffs while leaving the Google Tax in place, we’ll fight on.
“Consumers only benefit if antitrust enforcement not only opens up markets but also restores price competition. The Google Tax is antithetical to that competition.”
