Google to Allow Third-Party App Stores on Google Play

Google will allow third-party app stores on Google Play, following the settlement with Epic Games. This move will bring a significant change to the Android ecosystem and provide users with more app options.

GOOGL will begin carrying rival third-party app stores inside the U.S. Play Store starting July 22, 2026, a structural shift for the Android ecosystem. The change stems from Epic Games' antitrust win: a December 2023 jury found Google illegally monopolized Android app distribution and in-app billing on all eleven counts.

Rather than the narrower deal proposed in late 2025, Epic and Google jointly withdrew their settlement, leaving Google bound by the original court injunction. Under the new enrollment program, U.S. app and game listings become available to qualifying third-party stores unless developers opt out; those stores must be U.S.-registered organizations and pay a $5,000 service fee for security review.

The opening chips away at the roughly 30% Play Store commission that has anchored Google's high-margin services revenue, though network effects still favor the incumbent. Investors will watch developer and rival-storefront adoption, any hit to Play billing revenue, and the read-through to parallel pressure on Apple's App Store.

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