The app antitrust trial between Google and Epic Games is almost over

Alphabet's Google will attempt to convince a federal jury in San Francisco to dismiss Epic Games antitrust lawsuit.

This relates to a lawsuit that puts Google's app store and the transaction fees charged to Android app developers in jeopardy.

After more than a month of trial in Epic's lawsuit accusing Google of illegally conspiring to make its Play store superior to competing app stores, attorneys for the two companies are scheduled to present their closing arguments.

The 2020 lawsuit also contests Google's up to 30% in-app sales fee that it charges developers.

Gary Bornstein, an attorney for Epic, told the jury on Monday that "the trial has shown a very bright light on what Google has done to impair the competition."

According to Bornstein, Google "systematically blocks" other app stores on its Play store. Epic, based in Cary, North Carolina, is the owner of the well-known multiplayer shooting game Fortnite. While claiming to compete "intensely on price, quality, and security" with Apple's App Store, Google has denied any wrongdoing.

In order to end Google's purported monopoly on the distribution of Android apps and in-app purchases, Epic is requesting a court ruling. Google has filed a countersuit against Epic alleging that the latter violated the terms of the developer agreement.

Epic filed a comparable antitrust lawsuit against Apple in 2020, but in September 2021, a U.S. judge made a decision that was primarily favorable to Apple. A verdict in favor of Epic that would necessitate modifications to App Store policies has been challenged by Apple, and Epic has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to resurrect important claims in the Apple case.