A jury in a federal court has unanimously decided that Google’s Play Store for Android has been safeguarded by anticompetitive barriers, which have caused harm to smartphone users and software developers. This decision deals a blow to one of the major pillars of Google’s technology empire. The verdict was reached after only three hours of deliberation following a four-week trial centered around a lucrative payment system within Google’s Play Store. The store is the primary platform worldwide for downloading and installing apps compatible with smartphones running on Google’s Android operating system.

Google’s Play Store, While Apple emerged victorious in a comparable lawsuit filed by Epic against the iPhone app store, the 2021 trial decision is currently being appealed at the U.S. Supreme Court. However, in the Play Store case, the nine-person jury took a different perspective, even though Google technically permits Android apps to be downloaded from various store options that Apple restricts on the iPhone.

Apple emerged as the winner in a comparable case brought by Epic against the iPhone app store. However, the trial in 2021 was decided by a federal judge and is currently being appealed at the U.S. Supreme Court. In contrast, the nine-person jury in the Google’s Play Store case had a different perspective, even though Google technically permits Android apps to be downloaded from various store options, which Apple restricts on the iPhone.

Now, it is in the hands of Judge Donato to decide the necessary actions for Google to rectify its unlawful conduct in the Play Store. The Judge plans to conduct hearings on this matter during the second week of January.