Following Epic loss, Google has started hosting rival app stores in the Play Store
Summary
Google has started allowing third-party app stores to be downloaded from the Google Play Store in the U.S., following a court order related to Epic Games' antitrust lawsuit. The first such store, Aptoide, is now available to install without needing extra steps or warnings, giving users another way to download apps and games.Key Facts
- The change follows a legal ruling after Epic Games won an antitrust case against Google in 2023.
- Judge James Donato ordered Google to host third-party app stores inside the Play Store as part of remedies.
- Aptoide, a game-focused app store, is the first third-party store now available in Google Play in the U.S.
- Users can install Aptoide like any other app, without enabling sideloading or seeing warning messages.
- Aptoide has access to nearly 2 million apps and 295,000 games to offer users under the court’s terms.
- Developers can choose whether to share their apps with Aptoide; many may use it as another way to reach users.
- Google delays fully promoting the app store section inside Play Store, with only Aptoide present so far.
- Epic Games and Microsoft have not yet launched their alternative app stores despite having the resources.
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