Google recorre ao Supremo Tribunal para adiar mandato antitruste da Epic Games em disputa bilionária

O gigante das buscas entra na arena judicial mais uma vez—desta vez pedindo ao mais alto tribunal do país que pause uma decisão que poderia abalar seus lucrativos negócios de aplicativos.

O Desafio Legal

A Google alega que a implementação imediata das mudanças exigidas pela Epic Games causaria "danos irreparáveis" ao seu ecossistema digital. A empresa busca manter o status quo enquanto recorre da decisão antitruste que questiona suas práticas de cobrança em aplicativos.

As Apostas Financeiras

Com bilhões em receitas de taxas de loja de aplicativos em jogo, a manobra da Google revela o cálculo frio típico de Wall Street—proteger margens de lucro a qualquer custo, mesmo que signifique desafiar reguladores e concorrentes simultaneamente.

O timing não poderia ser pior para a Big Tech, que enfrenta escrutínio crescente sobre seu poder de mercado enquanto tenta convencer investidores de que seu modelo de negócios permanece intocado pelas pressões regulatórias.

Google says Android will suffer if mandate kicks in

In July 2024, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals backed the jury and ruled that Google has to lift restrictions that block app developers from setting up their own marketplaces and payment systems. The court said developers deserve the right to run their businesses without being locked into Google’s ecosystem.

Google didn’t take it lightly. The company said the ruling would “significantly harm user safety” and “undermine innovation for Android.” Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, responded by calling the decision a big win and said it would finally allow Epic to offer its Epic Games Store on Android through Google Play.

With Google now running to the highest court, it’s trying to freeze everything before that October deadline hits. The filing hasn’t shown up on the Supreme Court’s website, but the company’s message is clear: if the order isn’t blocked, Android users and developers are going to lose out—at least according to Google.

But this fight with Epic isn’t the only legal storm the company’s in. Google is also staring down another penalty in Europe, where regulators under the European Commission are preparing to hit the company with its first fine under the Digital Markets Act. The law took effect in 2023 and was built specifically to rein in Big Tech and give competitors a fair shot. It lays out what massive platforms can and cannot do. Break those rules, and companies can be fined up to 10% of global yearly revenue.

Google faces second EU penalty as Commission reviews case

The upcoming fine is separate from the €2.95 billion (about $3.45 billion) penalty Google already got earlier this month. That fine was for favoring its own display ad technology and giving its ad exchange, AdX, more power at the expense of rival ad services and publishers. But the next charge focuses on Google’s treatment of vertical search engines, specifically how Google Shopping, Google Flights, and Google Hotels were promoted over other travel and shopping platforms.

The complaint was first filed in March 2024. Since then, Google has submitted multiple proposals to try and fix things, but airline companies, hotel chains, retail sites, and comparison tools said nothing has really changed. The Commission isn’t commenting, but Google pointed to comments made earlier by its Senior Director for Competition, Oliver Bethell, who said, “While we have invited feedback throughout this process, we now need to bring this debate to an end without the interests of a few being prioritised over the millions of people and businesses in Europe who benefit from Search.”

Even with growing pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration over Europe’s crackdown on American tech, the EU Commission has no intention of stepping back. Officials say they’ll keep holding companies accountable, even if it stirs up more trade tension between the U.S. and the 27-nation bloc.

If the fine under the DMA moves forward, Google would become the third American tech company punished under the law—following Apple and Meta Platforms, who were both hit with penalties in April.

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