Google Play Opens to Third-Party Android App Stores on July 22 After Epic Deal Collapses
Google will host rival app stores directly inside the Play Store starting next week after Epic Games and Google jointly abandoned their proposed settlement in federal court.
Android’s app store sector is about to change again. Google and Epic Games have reportedly withdrawn the settlement they proposed late last year, meaning Google must now comply with the original October 2024 court order requiring it to allow rival app stores in Google Play.
As per The Verge, Google has confirmed third-party US app stores will be able to access the Play Store’s full catalog starting July 22, 2026, ending months of uncertainty over how, and whether, Google would ultimately open up its platform.
The change also comes as Google faces fresh regulatory pressure, with Swiss authorities opening an antitrust probe into its Android search choice screen.
From Settlement Back to a Court Order
The dispute stems from Google’s long-running antitrust battle with Epic.
According to Android Authority, citing The Verge, Judge James Donato’s October 2024 ruling required Google to allow rival Android app stores inside Google Play and share its app catalog after finding the company held an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution.
Google and Epic later proposed a settlement that would have replaced those requirements with greater flexibility for outside app distribution and payments as part of a separate $800 million business partnership, which briefly saw Fortnite back on Google Play.
The deal has now collapsed.
With both sides withdrawing the settlement, reports note that Google must comply with Judge Donato’s original order, and the companies are no longer expected to argue the revised terms at Thursday’s court hearing.
How the Play Catalog Access Program Works
Google has already begun complying with the ruling. According to Engadget, the company launched a Play Catalog Access Program page confirming that third-party U.S. app stores can access Google’s app catalog starting July 22.
Developers’ existing app listings will be available to those stores unless they choose to opt out. App downloads will still go through Google Play, and Google’s standard service fees will continue to apply, even when purchases begin from a rival app store.
Participating app stores must pay a $5,000 security review fee and a $5,000 annual access fee. The program is limited to U.S. users because the court order does not apply internationally.
Google spokesperson Dan Jackson said the company dropped the settlement to avoid prolonging uncertainty.
Google is now focused on complying with the court order while reshaping a business model that also faced a lawsuit earlier this year over competition in the Android app marketplace.
What Happens Next for Developers and Rivals
Outside the U.S., Google is taking a different approach as it faces tougher regulation overseas. That comes after an EU court upheld Google’s record Android antitrust fine earlier this month.
As a result, the company is expanding its Registered App Stores program, allowing users to install apps through a simpler sideloading process instead of Google Play.
The change could create new opportunities for rivals that have long targeted Android’s app ecosystem, with companies like Microsoft potentially launching an Xbox app store and Amazon’s Fire Appstore reaching a wider audience through Google Play.
Some details are still unclear, including how rival app stores will appear inside Google Play. However, Thursday’s court hearing could provide more answers before the July 22 deadline.
Source: Google and Epic give up fighting, third-party Android app stores are coming
