The legal battle between Epic Games and Google has resulted in a major win for Epic Games. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Google's appeal, requiring the Play Store to allow third-party app stores to be visible and operate freely for the next three years.
Developers will now have the ability to use alternative billing systems and link users to download options outside of the Play Store, bypassing Google's payment system and its 30% app tax. Additionally, Google is prohibited from offering incentives to device makers or carriers to deter them from pre-installing third-party app stores on devices.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has confirmed plans to launch the Epic Games Store for Android on Google Play. Google has expressed concerns over user safety and Android's competitiveness, but the ruling stands. Google may appeal to the Supreme Court.
Source (PDF)
