Alphabet Secures Delay for Play Store Changes Amid Ongoing Legal Battle

Governor’s Order on Google’s Android App Store Extended

Google’s parent company, Alphabet (GOOGL), has received an extension to improve its Android app store, known as the Play Store. A federal judge in California has agreed to delay a previous order mandating changes by November 1 that were aimed at providing consumers with greater choices in app downloads and payment methods.

U.S. District Judge James Donato originally mandated these modifications following an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, a well-known video game developer. Alphabet contended that implementing the changes too quickly could endanger security and privacy within the Android platform.

Revamping the Google App Store

In the lawsuit against Google, a jury concluded that the company maintains an illegal monopoly over how apps are downloaded and paid for on Android devices. The judge’s ruling required Alphabet to permit the downloading of competing third-party apps through the Play Store, along with allowing different in-app payment options.

Additionally, the ruling prohibited Google from financially incentivizing device makers to pre-install its app store and from sharing Play Store revenue with app distributors. However, Google’s legal representation argues that the company does not act as a monopolist since both the Play Store and Apple’s (AAPL) App Store compete directly.

Is GOOGL Stock Worth Investing In?

Currently, Alphabet holds a consensus Strong Buy rating from 39 Wall Street analysts. This rating reflects 30 Buy and nine Hold recommendations issued over the past three months, with no Sell ratings noted. Following a 17% rise this year, the average price target for GOOGL stands at $201.57, suggesting a potential upside of 23.34% from its current price.

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