App Store Monopoly

Extracted Attributes

• Legal Finding

  Google Play Store found to be an illegal monopoly by jury

• Key Legal Case

  Epic Games v. Google

• Core Controversy

  30% App Store Tax (commission on digital sales)

• Primary Platforms

  Android (Google Play Store) and iOS (Apple App Store)

• Google Play App Count

  3.5 million apps (as of 2017)

• Google Play Download Volume

  82 billion downloads (as of 2016)

Timeline

• Google Play is launched, consolidating Android Market, Google Music, Google Movies, and Google Books under one brand. (Source: Wikipedia: Google Play)

  2012-03-06

• Google Play Store records over 82 billion app downloads for the year. (Source: Wikipedia: Google Play)

  2016-12-31

• Google Play Store reaches a milestone of over 3.5 million published applications. (Source: Wikipedia: Google Play)

  2017-12-31

• Google Play Music is discontinued and replaced by YouTube Music. (Source: Wikipedia: Google Play)

  2020-12-03

• Google Play Movies & TV is rebranded as Google TV. (Source: Wikipedia: Google Play)

  2021-11-11

• A jury delivers a verdict in the Epic vs. Google lawsuit, finding the Google Play Store to be an illegal monopoly. (Source: eb4480db-8906-408f-b8da-c7f2622c98ce)

  2023-12-11

• The US Department of Justice and 16 state attorneys general file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple regarding the iPhone monopoly. (Source: United States v. Apple (2024) - Wikipedia)

  2024-03-21

Google Play

Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store or Play Store, and formerly known as the Android Market, is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certified devices running on the Android operating system and its derivatives, as well as ChromeOS, allowing users to browse and download applications developed with the Android software development kit and published through Google. Google Play has also served as a digital media store, with it offering various media for purchase (as well as certain things available free) such as books, movies, musical singles, television programs, and video games. Content that has been purchased on Google TV and Google Play Books can be accessed on a web browser (such as, for example, Google Chrome) and through certain Android and iOS apps. An individual's Google Account can feature a diverse collection of materials to be heard, read, watched, or otherwise interacted with. The nature of the various things offered through Google Play's services have changed over time given the particular history of the Android operating system. Applications are available through Google Play either for free or at a cost. They can be downloaded directly on an Android device through the proprietary Google Play Store mobile app or by deploying the application to a device from the Google Play website. Applications utilizing the hardware capabilities of a device can be targeted at users of devices with specific hardware components, such as a motion sensor (for motion-dependent games) or a front-facing camera (for online video calling). The Google Play Store had over 82 billion app downloads in 2016 and over 3.5 million apps published in 2017, while after a purge of apps, it is back to over 3 million. It has been the subject of multiple issues concerning security, in which malicious software has been approved and uploaded to the store and downloaded by users, with varying degrees of severity. Google Play was launched on March 6, 2012, bringing together Android Market, Google Music, Google Movies, and Google Books under one brand, marking a shift in Google's digital distribution strategy. Following their rebranding, Google has expanded the geographical support for each of the services. Since 2021, Google has gradually sunsetted the Play brand: Google Play Newsstand was discontinued and replaced by Google News, Google Play Music was discontinued and replaced by YouTube Music on December 3, 2020, and Play Movies & TV was rebranded as Google TV on November 11, 2021.

Web Search Results

• The App Store Dilemma: Revenue "Cuts," App Restrictions, and ...

  ### D. Operating a Monopoly 101: Diving into Section 2 [...] The district court did not find it impossible for Apple to be a monopoly, but it did find that Epic Games failed to meet its burden to demonstrate that Apple is an “illegal monopolist.”(#fn39) Both Apple and Epic Games appealed the district court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit. Epic Games’ appeal notice sought to appeal the final judgment “and all orders leading to or producing that judgment.”(#fn40) [...] market share is high enough for there to be a monopoly under section 2 of the Sherman Act, the numbers show that Apple’s share in mobile gaming is increasing, and that Apple has the majority of the market share in a mainly duopolistic marketplace.(#fn76)

• [PDF] App Stores, Aftermarkets, & Antitrust - Arizona State Law Journal

  5993223, at 1 (“In Plaintiffs’ telling, Apple is a monopolist in an aftermarket for software applications that can be used only on iPhones, and in which competition between Apple and other device manufacturers, operating systems, and app distributors plays no part.”); Second Amended Complaint ¶ 347, Blix Inc. v. Apple, Inc., No. 19-cv-1869-LPS, 2021 WL 2895654 (D. Del. July 9, 2021), 2021 WL 2905633 [hereinafter Blix Second Amended Complaint] (“Apple has the ability to and does exclude [...] competition in the form the aftermarket for distribution of iOS apps. This exclusion is direct evidence of its monopoly power.”). 29. 504 U.S. 451 (1992). 30. Id. at 455. 31. See id. at 465. 32. The concept of “monopoly power” does not have precise metes and bounds in antitrust; although, in most cases, it does not literally mean one seller. See id. at 481 (“Monopoly power under § 2 requires, of course, something greater than market power under § 1.”). A general rule of thumb is that a firm [...] restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal.”); Id. § 2 (“Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any 53:1283] APP STORES, AFTERMARKETS, & ANTITRUST 1287 (creator of the popular game Fortnite) claimed that Apple has illegally gained monopoly power through various exclusionary practices that have limited competition and raised prices to supra-competitive levels.21 These practices

• MONOPOLY: The Board Game - App Store - Apple

  I’ve been playing this mobile edition of Monopoly for quite some time and I figured I’d give my official review. I would like to start with a brief list of suggestions to make the game a little more enticing to potential players as well as current players! The maps currently playable are wonderful and creative (as I’ve got the season pass) but if you could try to bring some of the more up to date Monopoly boards that we see in stores such as the Rick and Morty board or the Monopoly Cheater [...] ### A Game that Should Be Great [...] developers of the digital monopoly board game to add digital rewards in the game every time you win a match. I’d also want the developers to allow us to see our statistics that we and other users can view such as how many loses and wins we have in total. Maybe even have a statistics of how much rent we paid and earned. Overall, it’s a very entertaining game when it comes to playing with friends and family.

• Monopoly GO! - App Store

  fun and visuals with gameplay fit for your phone! Collect Properties, build Houses and Hotels, pull Chance Cards, and of course, earn that MONOPOLY Money! Play with your favorite game Tokens such as the Racecar, Top Hat, Battleship, and more. Earn more tokens as you go - your favorite Harry Potter wizard or witch might be one! See MONOPOLY icons like Mr. M, Scottie and Ms. MONOPOLY come to life, and brand new characters too! Your Family Table! Help or hinder! - You and friends can earn easy [...] Ok, I have been playing this game for almost 2 years, Yes this is a fun and addicting game that is fun and frustrating to play. It is fun and there are a good number of our family members playing this game, we all have fun and it does satisfy some gaming needs as well as some team work and gamesmanship, the issue I have is the the properties start getting very expensive to buy when you get into the higher levels, this takes a lot ,and I mean a lot of dice and game money to keep playing and [...] Houses and upgrade your Houses to Hotels to get even more rent from friends! All you have to do is hit GO! Can you catch the golden snitch? ENJOY THAT CLASSIC MONOPOLY ATMOSPHERE Roll the dice to enjoy the classic MONOPOLY board you know and love. Featuring familiar faces such as MR. MONOPOLY, and familiar spaces such as jail (womp womp!), Railroads, Properties, Tokens and more! PLAY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY Get social! Play with friends to take full advantage of new magical mini-games such as

• United States v. Apple (2024) - Wikipedia

  1. ^ McCabe, David; Mickle, Tripp (March 21, 2024). "U.S. Sues Apple, Accusing It of Maintaining an iPhone Monopoly". The New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2024. The Justice Department and 16 state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, the federal government's most significant challenge to the reach and influence of the company that has put iPhones in the hands of more than a billion people.