A federal judge in San Francisco has postponed a court order that would force Google to introduce more competition to its Android app store. The delay will remain in place until an appeals court can rule on the legal complexities of a jury verdict branding Google as an illegal monopolist, according to an AP News report.
The decision, made on Friday by U.S. District Judge James Donato, follows his earlier ruling that would have required Google to make significant changes to its Play Store starting November 1. Those changes aimed to open the platform to rivals, including giving competitors access to the more than 2 million apps available on the Android Play Store.
Google, however, sought to delay Donato’s order while the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reviews the case, which stemmed from a December 2023 verdict. The jury had found that Google’s Play Store was monopolistic, allegedly stifling innovation and inflating consumer costs. In response to Friday’s delay, Google expressed relief, stating that the temporary pause would allow the company to further argue its case for protecting the Play Store’s safety and user experience, per an AP News update…