An antitrust case scheduled for November 6th against Google has garnered significant attention, with a list of potential witnesses recently unveiled. This legal battle features Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, and Match Group, which owns Tinder, among other companies. These entities have accused Google of misusing its dominant position in the Android app market and undermining competition through its Google Play Store policies.
Epic Games has identified 53 potential witnesses who may be called upon during the trial. The list includes prominent figures from both sides, such as Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Google and Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat, and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. Additionally, Andy Rubin, a co-founder of the Android operating system, is listed as a possible witness. Rubin was associated with Google until 2014. Two other Android co-founders, Nick Sears and Rich Miner, have also been mentioned as potential witnesses.
The witness list extends beyond the two disputing parties. It encompasses individuals like Activision CFO Armin Zerza and former Open Handset Alliance leader Eric Chu.
Epic Games’ lawsuit against Google centers on alleged misconduct within the Google Play Store. Epic claims that after its removal from the Google Play Store, Google initiated an anti-competitive campaign to discourage other developers from following suit. This campaign reportedly involved substantial payments to certain developers to prevent them from leaving the platform.
Google, for its part, has defended its practices, asserting that they demonstrate “fair competition” among developers within the Google Play ecosystem. This legal confrontation follows similar action taken by both Google and Apple, which removed Epic Games from their respective app stores when the company introduced a direct payment option in Fortnite, a move that violated store policies. Apple has predominantly prevailed in its legal battle with Epic Games.
In sum, the impending trial will witness a slew of high-profile witnesses and promises to shed light on the intricacies of competition within the Android app market.
