A Mr. Moneybags hat from Monopoly now appears on the Google logo in a recent image, symbolizing the company’s entanglement in antitrust discussions. Today marked the important deadline for Google to show how it is meeting Judge James Donato’s order. This order requires Google to increase openness in the Android ecosystem, particularly regarding third-party app stores. Additionally, the company must stop the illegal practice of linking its Google Play Billing system directly to its app store services and permit developers in the US to point users to alternative downloading options for their apps outside of the Play Store.

Google’s Approach to Third-party App Stores and Alternative Billing

Although Google is complying with the order, it is not allowing absolute freedom for developers at any time. Instead, the company has quietly updated its support information with a clear deadline of January 28th. Developers must enroll in special Google programs for “alternative billing” and for “external content links” by this date. Furthermore, joining these programs will bring significant alternative fees for developers, assuming the legal situation does not change.

What Developers Need to Know Going Forward

Google’s new policies mean that, while changes are being introduced, the company is carefully controlling how developers can use alternative options. For example, those who want to use different billing systems must follow specific procedures. At the same time, developers hoping to point users to other download locations outside the Play Store must also meet Google’s revised requirements. As a result, although these steps are supposed to support compliance with the recent legal order, they still require developers to navigate new rules and potential fees. Consequently, developers must act quickly to adapt to these updates and meet the January deadline to avoid disruptions to their app distribution strategies.

Tags: Google Play Store, dyqanet e aplikacioneve të palëve të treta, tarifa për instalim, pagesa alternative, zhvilluesit e aplikacioneve, politika të reja Google