Google to file a full appeal by October 27, 2025.
Supreme Court decision on injunction stay expected by October 17.
Ruling could dismantle Google’s control over app payments and distribution.
Google has taken its high-profile legal case against Epic Games to the United States Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to maintain control over the Android app ecosystem. According to documents obtained by The Verge, the company has stated that it will file a full appeal before October 27, 2025, while also requesting that the court temporarily halt an impending injunction that could force significant changes to Google Play.
SurveyPreviously, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a permanent injunction that forced Google to loosen its grip on app distribution and billing. According to the order, Google must stop requiring developers to rely solely on Google Play Billing, allow links to third-party payment options, allow alternate app downloads, and give developers greater pricing flexibility. The injunction is scheduled to take effect in October, unless the Supreme Court intervenes.
Google has maintained that precedent from Epic’s unsuccessful lawsuit against Apple should also apply in this case, arguing that the lower courts may have overreached in their rulings. Ahead of a compliance hearing set for October 30 by District Judge James Donato, who initially issued the order, the company has also requested that the Supreme Court rule on a stay of the injunction by October 17.
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The distribution and monetisation of Android apps may be drastically altered if the injunction is upheld, making room for third-party app stores and payment methods. The Supreme Court is now Google’s last line of defence against what might be a historic change in the app economy.
It remains to be seen if the move turns in favour of Google. But for that, we will have to wait for a few more weeks.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
