Google Faces Court Order Over Rival App Store Installation Process

Epic Games has expressed dissatisfaction over Google's implementation of court-ordered changes to facilitate the installation of rival Android app stores on its Play Store.

As part of a settlement in March 2026, Epic Games and Google agreed to end their long-running legal battle over Android app distribution. However, Epic has now raised concerns that Google is making it too difficult for users to install competing marketplaces.

During a recent compliance hearing, Epic demonstrated the multiple steps required for users to install a rival app store from the Play Store, including warnings and confirmation screens. The court found some of these extra steps to be unnecessary 'anticompetitive friction', ordering Google to simplify the installation process within one week.

The judge also addressed another issue - that third-party app stores are not visible in search results for 'store for apps'. Instead, Google Play showed physical stores like Walmart. The court deemed this unacceptable and ordered Google to rectify the situation.