A federal judge has ordered Google to open up its app store to rivals and give Android users more options when downloading apps.
Judge James Donato issued a final ruling in the Epic vs. Google case Monday, detailing how Google must change the way it operates Google Play.
Google will be prohibited from paying developers to release apps exclusively on Google Play for the next three years, starting November 1, according to the filing. The company also cannot force developers to use Google Play's billing system and must allow developers to notify users of other payment methods.
Google must also allow third-party Android app stores to access the Google Play Store's app catalog and feature third-party apps in its own app store.
In response to the ruling, Google said it would appeal and ask the court to suspend the ordered changes, saying the changes would “hurt Android's ability to compete with Apple's iOS.”