Google once again finds itself racing against time, with scarcely more than two weeks remaining to comply with a pivotal legal directive. This urgency arises from the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent refusal to grant Google temporary relief in its ongoing battle with Epic Games. Specifically, the Court declined the company’s request for a partial stay, a decision that keeps the lower court’s permanent injunction fully in force. As a consequence, Google must proceed to make substantial operational adjustments within this month or risk being found in violation of federal court orders. Epic Games has clarified that the new compliance deadline now falls on October 22, 2025. On that date, as Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized in a public statement, developers across the United States will legally gain the right to guide users of Google Play toward payment methods outside the app itself—without incurring platform fees, facing discouraging warnings, or encountering unnecessary friction. The ruling effectively equalizes the treatment of developers on Android with those on Apple’s App Store, at least within the U.S. market.
When questioned by The Verge, Google declined to offer a direct confirmation about whether it plans to remove mandatory use of Google Play Billing or to open the door for alternative payment processors and external links leading directly to third‑party app downloads. These potential changes, while consequential, remain uncertain since Google continues to pursue a larger appeal before the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, company spokesperson Dan Jackson conveyed to The Verge that Google fully intends to honor its existing legal responsibilities. He further shared an official statement in which the company contends that Android has long provided more freedom and diversity of choice for both users and developers than any competing mobile platform. Jackson warned, however, that the modifications ordered by the U.S. District Court could undermine users’ ability to safely obtain applications from trustworthy sources. Although Google expressed disappointment that its request for a stay was denied, it maintained that the company will persist in appealing the ruling.
Meanwhile, Epic has not yet responded to inquiries regarding its involvement with Google in the court‑mandated Joint Technical Committee, the body tasked with determining how Google Play apps might be safely distributed through rival app stores without exposing users to additional security risks. The procedural and technical challenges of maintaining that balance—between expanded access and user protection—remain substantial. Google, for its part, has indicated that it intends to file its formal petition for Supreme Court review, known as a writ of certiorari, no later than October 27, 2025. That filing date, notably, would arrive after the compliance deadline. Judge James Donato, the district court judge who originally imposed the injunction, has already summoned both parties—Google and Epic—to appear in his courtroom on October 30 to explain exactly how they intend to fulfill their respective obligations under the order. Although the Supreme Court could still choose to take up the case even after the compliance period has elapsed, for now the immediate burden is clear: Google must act swiftly to satisfy the injunction’s requirements while simultaneously preparing for one of the most consequential appeals in modern digital‑market history.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/793610/google-epic-android-supreme-court-stay-denied
