Eligible Android users stand to share in Google's $700 million lawsuit settlement funds
In a series of high-profile antitrust lawsuits, Google has been under scrutiny for its practices in the Play Store, particularly its 15-30% cut in transactions and app store monopoly. However, as of mid-2025, there is no known $700 million payout for Android phone owners from these lawsuits.
The Epic Games lawsuit against Google, which resulted in a 2023 jury verdict upheld by the Ninth Circuit in 2025, focused on structural changes to increase competition and user choice rather than cash settlements to Android users. The court's remedy includes allowing third-party app stores to access Google Play's app catalog, prohibiting exclusivity deals, and ending mandatory use of Google Play Billing.
Google has agreed to lower its cut in Play Store billing transactions to 11-26% as part of the settlement reached in 2023. The company will also pay an additional $70 million for use by the states. Android phone users who made a transaction in the Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 could potentially be entitled to a minimum of a $2 payout from the $630 million court settlement.
Eligible customers will be automatically notified about their options. Google has also agreed to give consumers the option to pay for software directly from developers, which could further benefit Android users.
For updates on the legal proceedings and potential payout process, Android users should watch official court websites, Google's communication channels, and reputable news sources. It's important to note that there is no eligibility check process currently available because no payout program exists.
In other news, the indy100 offers a free weekly newsletter and a free WhatsApp channel. The indy100 also encourages readers to participate in its news democracy by upvoting articles. Additionally, Epic Games and other developers sued Google in 2021 for forcing them to use its payment system for app downloads, which has contributed to the ongoing antitrust lawsuits. The lawsuits against Google also involve privacy issues on its Chrome browser.
[1] Epic Games v. Google: A Timeline of the Antitrust Lawsuit [2] Google Loses Antitrust Appeal Over Android App Store [3] Google Faces Antitrust Trial Over App Store Monopoly [4] Google Settles Antitrust Lawsuit Over App Store Payments [5] Google Agrees to Change App Store Policies in Antitrust Settlement
- The Epic Games lawsuit against Google, which focused on structural changes to increase competition, also led to Google agreeing to lower its cut in Play Store billing transactions from 15-30% to 11-26%, indicating a shift in its finance practices due to technology advances.
- Amidst ongoing antitrust lawsuits involving privacy issues on its Chrome browser and the app store monopoly, Google also agreed to pay an additional $70 million for use by the states, demonstrating the intersection of finance and technology in resolving antitrust disputes.
