Portuguese company Aptoide filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in San Francisco federal court. The suit accuses Google of violating U.S. law by monopolizing the Android app distribution and billing markets. Aptoide alleges that Google’s anticompetitive practices stifled competition and protected its pricing power.
Aptoide currently ranks as the world’s third-largest Android app store. The plaintiff is seeking a permanent injunction against Google’s practices and unspecified triple damages.
This filing adds to Google’s ongoing legal challenges regarding app store dominance. Aptoide previously filed a separate action with EU authorities in 2014, following similar complaints from Epic Games.