Alphabet’s 2.32% Drop and $5.36B Volume Rank 14th as Legal Ruling Mandates Android App Store Overhaul

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) closed July 31 with a 2.32% decline, trading with a daily volume of $5.36 billion, ranking 14th in market liquidity. The drop followed a landmark legal defeat as the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal court order compelling Google to overhaul its Android app store policies. The ruling mandates the tech giant to allow third-party app stores and payment systems within the Google Play Store, a requirement initially imposed by a San Francisco jury in 2023 after finding Google engaged in anticompetitive practices. The appeals court rejected Google’s arguments that the trial judge erred in favor of Epic Games, emphasizing the necessity of antitrust remedies to counter market dominance.

Google’s regulatory affairs vice president, Lee-Anne Mulholland, warned the decision risks undermining Android’s innovation and user safety, vowing continued appeals. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the ruling as a “total victory,” signaling the imminent launch of the Epic Games Store on Android. The court’s decision, however, faces potential challenges at the U.S. Supreme Court. Legal experts noted the ruling reinforces antitrust enforcement in tech, as Microsoft and U.S. regulators supported Epic’s case. Google’s defense that its app store competes with Apple’s platform was dismissed, with judges affirming the district court’s authority to enforce competition measures.

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