Epic and Google agree to settle their lawsuit and change Android’s fate globally

Epic and Google agreed to a settlement in Epic v. Google. Google is agreeing to reduce its standard fee to 20 percent or 9 percent, depending on the kind of transaction. It’s agreeing to create a new program in the very next version of Android where alternative app stores can register with Google and (theoretically) become first-class citizens that users can easily install. And it appears to be agreeing to offer “Registered App Stores” and lower fees around the world, not just in the US, through June 2032 — six and a half years from now. The details of how, when, and where Google would charge its fees are complicated, and they seem to be somewhat tailored to the needs of a game developer like Epic Games. Google can charge 20 percent for an in-app purchase provides “more than a de minimis gameplay advantage,” for example, or 9 percent if the purchase does not. And while 9 percent sounds like it’s also the cap for apps and in-app subscriptions sold through Google Play, period, the proposal notes that that amount doesn’t include Google’s cut for Play Billing if you buy it through that payment system. That cut will be 5 percent.