Link: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/google-and-epic-look-to-bury-the-hatchet-with-new-app-store-settlement/

The era of the 30 percent app store cut has ended.

[Google] tried unsuccessfully to have the verdict reversed, but then Epic came to the rescue. In late 2025, the companies announced a settlement that skipped many of the court’s orders.

Epic leadership professed interest in leveling the playing field for all developers on Android’s platform. But US District Judge James Donato expressed skepticism of the settlement in January, noting that it may be a “sweetheart deal” that benefited Epic more than other developers. The specifics of the arrangement were not fully disclosed, but it included lower Play Store fees, cross-licensing, attorneys’ fees, and other partnership offers.

The best option for people in other countries that believe in freedom and justice (in the true sense, not in the American polemical sense) is to get rid of all American platforms. At least in tech, there isn't a single major US platform that's not involved in open criminality (and even crimes against humanity) and/or have an outright malicious attitude towards customers.

Another option would be full white-labeling with transfer of regional IP (copyright, trademarks, patent - everything) and any key operational infrastructure. Essentially, the US HQ would have zero control over of the platform and would get a small fee and that's it.

The Chinese are smart enough to use this approach in verticals that they seem somewhat strategic (one can argue fully strategic areas are simply closed off to American oligarchs).

One small step forward, under the shadow of Google's looming threat to crack down on the concept of self-ownership of any device with that cute little robot logo. For independent developers still publishing on the Play Store, this is, for the moment, better than nothing.

The settlement affirms that developers in the Play Store will be able to steer users to other forms of payment. This is what got Fortnite pulled from the Play Store (and Apple App Store) back in 2020. When developers choose to use Google’s billing platform, they’ll pay lower fees as well.