# Google Android app store antitrust mandates

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/google-android-app-store-antitrust-mandates
> Updated: 2026-08-13T22:11:25.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 2.

Following a court order in the United States, Google is undergoing changes to the Android ecosystem to integrate third-party app stores directly into the Google Play Store. This mandate, which follows legal actions involving Epic Games, requires Google to share its app catalog with competitors. The mobile gaming specialist Aptoide has already launched in the US via the Play Store.

During a compliance hearing in San Francisco, Judge James Donato ruled that Google’s current methods for discovering and installing third-party marketplaces are “deliberately obstructive.” The court identified specific technical hurdles that create “anticompetitive friction.” 

To rectify these issues, the judge ordered Google to fix its search functionality so that queries for app marketplaces return relevant results rather than retail chains. Additionally, Google must change the installation button for third-party stores from “view” to “install” and remove mandatory intermediate landing pages, such as unnecessary interstitial banners and “Are you looking for?” prompts that redirect users. Google has been given one week to implement these changes to ensure its execution meets the requirements of the previous injunction.

## Claims

- Google's current installation process for rival app stores contains unnecessary anticompetitive friction. (corroborated by 10 sources)
- Google must implement the court-ordered changes within one week. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Searching for 'store for apps' in the Play Store currently returns retail apps like Walmart instead of digital marketplaces. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Google must change the 'View' button to an 'Install' button for third-party app stores to match the experience of standard apps. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Search results for app stores must include relevant results even if the user's phrasing is only 70 percent accurate. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Google uses interstitial banners and 'Are you looking for?' prompts to redirect users away from direct third-party store installations. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Aptoide is the first third-party app store to be made available through the Google Play Store under the current injunction. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Epic Games and Google entered into a commercial partnership valued at $800 million over six years in January 2026. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-13: Google ordered to simplify rival Android app store installations

A US judge ordered Google to simplify the installation of rival Android app stores, citing 'anticompetitive friction' in search results and installation prompts. Google has one week to comply.

16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/google-ordered-to-ease-rival-app-store-installs-on-android

### 2026-08-10: Google to integrate third-party app stores into Android Play Store

Google will integrate third-party app stores into the US Google Play Store by 2026 following a court order. Additionally, Google is testing a native app-locking feature for Android security.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/google-to-integrate-third-party-app-stores-into-android-play-store

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Cite as: Google Android app store antitrust mandates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/google-android-app-store-antitrust-mandates