In a landmark ruling, Judge James Donato has ordered Google to open its Android app store to competition, marking a significant victory for Epic Games in its legal battle against Google. For three years, Google must allow rival app stores access to its Google Play catalog and stop mandating its payment system for app transactions. This decision aims to dismantle Google's alleged monopoly by prohibiting exclusive deals with developers and incentivizing device makers to preinstall the Play Store. While Google plans to appeal, claiming potential harm to consumers and developers, Epic celebrates the ruling as a win for app store diversity. The changes, effective from November 2024, could reshape the Android marketplace, offering competitors a fair chance to thrive.