A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Google must allow rival technology firms to offer their Android apps on the Google Play Store for three years starting next month. The ruling comes as part of a legal battle initiated by Epic Games, the creator of  Fortnite, which accused Google of stifling competition by controlling app distribution and payments on Android devices.

Judge James Donato's decision is seen as a significant blow to Google, which has announced plans to appeal the ruling and seek a pause on the ordered remedies. According to Google, the changes "would put consumers’ privacy and security at risk, make it harder for developers to promote their apps, and reduce competition on devices."

However, legal experts have praised the decision, viewing it as a challenge to the dominance of tech giants like Google. "It shows that courts are not necessarily opposed to asking dominant platforms to share access with rivals in the name of competition," commented Rebecca Haw Allensworth, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School.

In addition to allowing rival apps on the Play Store, the court ordered Google to make its catalogue of apps available to competing app stores. Mark Lemley, a professor at Stanford Law School, noted that while such a requirement is unusual in antitrust cases, the judge's ruling aims to undo the harm caused by Google's past violations.

The case stems from a broader antitrust struggle, with Epic Games alleging that Google's control over the Play Store allowed it to charge excessive fees—up to 30%—on app store payments, leading to higher prices for consumers. This is just the latest legal hurdle for Google, which faces similar allegations from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding its monopoly in online search and digital advertising.

With this ruling, some experts believe the landscape for app developers and consumers may soon change. "There's going to be a lot more incentive for developers to enter this market, and prices should be lower for consumers," said Lee Hepner, Senior Legal Counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project.

As the legal battle continues, all eyes are on how this ruling will impact competition and innovation in the tech industry.