US judge orders Google to open up Google Play to rivals

Core Viewpoint - A federal judge has mandated changes to Google's app store operations, allowing more competition and user choice in app downloads [1] Group 1: Legal Ruling - Judge James Donato's ruling requires Google to stop paying developers for exclusive app launches on Google Play starting November 1 for three years [1] - Google is prohibited from forcing developers to use its billing system and must allow them to inform users about alternative payment methods [1] Group 2: Third-Party Access - Google must allow third-party Android app stores to access the Google Play Store's app catalog and include third-party apps in its own app store [1] Group 3: Company's Response - In response to the ruling, Google plans to appeal and seek a pause on the changes, arguing that they could weaken Android's competitiveness against Apple's iOS [1]