Google Faces Another High-Class Lawsuit Over Alleged Monopoly

A new antitrust lawsuit on Tuesday accuses Google of shutting out rival Android app stores by monopolising app distribution ​and billing, violating U.S. antitrust law.

Aptoide, a Portuguese company that ‌specialises in mobile games and calls itself the world's third-largest Android app store, said it would have exerted substantially more pressure on Google's pricing and policies ​but for Google's "anticompetitive chokehold" that shuts out smaller rivals.

Google, a ​unit of Alphabet, did not immediately respond to requests for ⁠comment.

Based in Lisbon, Aptoide brands itself "the alternative Android app store," ​with about 436,000 apps in its catalogue and more than 200 million ​annual users by 2024. It said it offers lower commissions to developers and lower costs to users, yet suffers from irreparable harm because Google deprives rivals of exclusive ​content from top developers, and steers developers to Google Play and ​other "must have" services.

The lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court seeks an injunction ‌against ⁠alleged anticompetitive practices, plus unspecified triple damages. Aptoide filed a separate complaint against Google with European Union antitrust authorities in 2014.

Last November, Google agreed to make Android and app store changes to settle a five-year-old antitrust case ​by Epic Games, ​maker of the ⁠popular Fortnite video game. A jury found in 2023 that Google unlawfully stifled competition, and the trial judge ordered sweeping ​reforms the following year.

Google has also defended against a ​US ⁠government case in which a judge in August 2024 found its internet search engine an illegal monopoly.

The judge later ordered the Mountain View, California-based company ⁠to ​share search data with rivals, but did ​not require a sale of its Android operating system or Chrome browser. Google and the ​government appealed.

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