Another rival is coming for Google over its app store practices

Google has already been pushed to open up Android a bit more after the Epic case forced Google to start outlining Android app store changes, but one rival store says it still hasn’t gone far enough. Independent Android app store Aptoide announced this week that it has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing it of unfair practices in both Android app distribution and in-app billing.

In its press release, Aptoide confirms the complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Essentially, Aptoide says Google has made it too difficult for rival app stores to properly compete on Android, while also keeping a firm grip on the billing side of things.

Those are the same broad areas that sat at the center of Epic’s fight with Google. Google has already started laying out changes linked to the terms of the settlement in that case, including its new Registered App Store program and a revised fee structure. Aptoide’s lawsuit makes clear that some rivals think that still doesn’t amount to a level playing field.

Aptoide says it serves more than 200 million direct yearly users and has around 436,000 apps in its catalog. It argues that Google’s practices have held it back from competing more effectively on pricing and policy, and from getting better access to developers and major apps. Aptoide says this has played out through things like OEM lock-in agreements, developer exclusivity deals, and what it describes as deliberate friction for users trying to access alternatives to Google Play.

That is Aptoide’s version of events, but it shows that the monopoly argument hardly ended with the Epic settlement. The question remains, even if third-party stores are allowed, can they actually compete in any meaningful way? Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.