Epic Games has secured a significant victory in its antitrust lawsuit against Google, with a unanimous jury finding Google liable for monopolization and unlawful business practices related to the Play Store.

The jury determined that Google maintained monopoly power through anticompetitive conduct in two key markets:

• Android app distribution market
• Android in-app billing services for digital goods and services transactions

The verdict specifically found that Google:

• Willfully maintained monopoly power through anticompetitive practices
• Created unlawful restraints of trade through developer agreements
• Illegally tied Google Play Store use to Google Play Billing
• Harmed developers through its 30% fee structure

Prior to the verdict, settlement discussions took place:

• A 60-90 minute meeting between Epic CEO Tim Sweeney and Android executives
• A 60-minute meeting between Sweeney and Google CEO Sundar Pichai Neither meeting resulted in a settlement agreement.

Epic Games celebrated the verdict as "a win for all app developers and consumers around the world," stating it proves Google's app store practices are illegal and monopolistic. The company emphasized this case demonstrates the need for stronger legislation and regulation of mobile app marketplaces, specifically mentioning:

• UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill
• EU's Digital Markets Act

The ruling represents a significant shift in the mobile app distribution landscape and may lead to substantial changes in how app stores operate and charge developers.

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