Google Play Store is at the edge of another legal battle over its alleged monopoly on Android users.
During a court hearing on Thursday, US federal judge James Donato hinted plans to pursue another case against Google to make further changes on the platform following its historic loss against Epic Games.
First reported by Wired, Donato said the case is intended to loosen the company's grip on Android devices and pry away ill-gotten gains it acquired through years of being an "illegal monopolist."
Donato did not provide any concrete outlines for the planned penalties, although Epic Games requested to bar Google from forming deals discouraging developers and companies from working with alternative app stores.
The judge is expected to hear final arguments from both sides in August, a few weeks ahead before the court issues the penalties by Labor Day in September.
Read also: 102 Million People Eligible for $630 Million Google Play Settlement: How to Get Your Share
US Gov't Cracks Down on Google, Apple Monopoly Over Mobile Users
The latest development on the Epic Games vs. Google Play Store is only a part of a sweeping movement the US government is pushing as regulators attempt a historic crackdown on tech giants.
Alleging monopolization of the mobile market, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Apple earlier this month amid growing voices against the iPhone maker's hold on its customers.
According to the DOJ, the tech giant continues to undermine "apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone" through its exclusive "Apple ecosystem."
Apple asserted that it is "far from being a monopolist" and instead faces "fierce competition from well-established rivals." Apple did not provide names for its supposed rivals.
The statement came out just months after Apple's iPhone recently dethroned Samsung as the top best-selling smartphone company last year.
The lawsuit is a historic first for the department after years of allowing both Google and Apple to build their mobile empire, including directing all in-app payment methods through its tax-included app stores.
More Developers, Platforms Launch Their App Stores
Following Google Play Store's case, more app developers and platforms are launching their own app stores to direct in-app payments towards developers rather than let Google or Apple gain from their earnings.
So far, TikTok has already opened its web-based TikTok Shop, while Microsoft unveiled plans to bring the Xbox Game Store to mobile and web platforms.
