Google to pay US consumers $700 million in Play store antitrust settlement

Google agreed to pay U.S. consumers and states $700 million and to allow more competition in its Play app store, according to an antitrust settlement reached in San Francisco federal court.

Consumers will be eligible to receive $630 million as a settlement, while $70 million will go toward the states, according to the settlement disclosed Monday, Reuters reported. 

A judge still needs to give final approval to the settlement, but if all terms remain in place, eligible consumers will receive at least $2 and may receive additional payments depending on their Google Play spending between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2023. 

Google had been accused of overcharging consumers by unlawfully restricting apps on Android devices and adding unnecessary fees for in-app transactions, but it did not admit to wrongdoing.

All 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are part of the settlement. 

In addition to the financial compensation for consumers, Google said it would make it easier for users to download apps from developers and expand the ability of app and game developers to charge for in-app purchases rather than solely using Play's billing system.

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