Google is escalating its legal battle against a recent ruling in the Epic vs. Google case by appealing to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The company is seeking an emergency stay to temporarily halt changes mandated by Judge James Donato that are set to take effect on November 1st. These changes would require Google to distribute third-party app stores within Google Play, eliminate the mandatory use of Google Play Billing, and implement other modifications.
In its appeal, Google argues that these changes threaten the safety and security of the Android platform, citing concerns over user privacy and increased malware risks associated with allowing third-party app stores. The company also believes that reducing developers' control over app distribution and permitting external links to untrusted app downloads could endanger users. Furthermore, Google contends that removing Google Play Billing would strip away essential user protections such as in-app purchase safety and fraud prevention.
The company emphasizes that the tight timeline for implementing these changes poses an "unacceptable risk" of safety and security failures, drawing on recent incidents as warnings against rapid implementation. Overall, Google's appeal reiterates concerns previously dismissed by the court regarding the potential negative consequences for Android users, developers, and device manufacturers.