Google Play rival app store overhaul approaches July 22

Google Play’s rival-store changes are one of the biggest mobile-business stories going into next week. After Google and Epic withdrew their proposed settlement, the court-ordered Android distribution changes move forward, with Google Play set to begin carrying eligible rival app stores in the US from July 22. For developers, this is not legal trivia. Store distribution, link-outs, payment options and third-party marketplace access can all affect margins and discovery strategy.

The full impact will take time, but the direction is clear: Android distribution in the US is about to become more interesting, more complicated and probably more political.