Google’s parent company Alphabet agreed to a £260 million ($353.21 million) settlement to resolve a UK lawsuit brought by app developers alleging anticompetitive practices in the Google Play Store.
The legal action, filed in London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal, claimed Google abused its dominant market position by restricting developers from distributing apps through alternative channels and by imposing a 30% commission fee deemed unfair. The settlement, published in a 19-page agreement, avoids admission of liability or wrongdoing, with Google asserting it "has strong defences" against the claims.
The lawsuit, led by academic Barry Rodger, sought compensation for UK-based app developers who sold applications via the Play Store. Rodger described the settlement as "a great outcome" for affected businesses, noting that meaningful financial compensation would become available to developers who could not have challenged Google independently.
The agreement follows a series of similar cases against major tech firms, including Apple, Qualcomm, and Sony, since early 2025. The London case was scheduled to proceed to trial next month before the settlement was reached.
Google and Alphabet did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
