Monopoly Warfare: Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai And Epic Games' Tim Sweeney To Testify In Google Play Trial

In a seismic shift in the tech world, Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai and Epic Games Inc. CEO Tim Sweeney are poised to take the stand in a landmark antitrust trial.

The impending courtroom faceoff, scheduled to kick off on Nov. 6 in San Francisco, will delve deep into allegations surrounding Google Play's potentially monopolistic policies. 

This high-stakes legal battle could reshape the app marketplace's landscape and put billions of dollars in revenue at risk, according to a Bloomberg report.

The Backdrop Of The Battle

At the heart of this litigation is a lawsuit launched by Epic Games in 2020. The gaming giant contends that Google's app store distribution and payment and fee structures unlawfully "thwart competition."

This trial is part of the larger antitrust challenges Google faces, with complaints from consumers, nearly three dozen states and Match Group Inc.

Pichai's Moment In The Spotlight

Anticipation mounts as Pichai is set to be rigorously questioned by Epic's attorneys for an hour. 

Topics on the table include Android's business strategies and Google's ties with wireless service providers and devicemakers. 

In a countermove, Google's legal team could summon Pichai for a brief 30-minute session to champion its app marketplace's policies in defense.

Sweeney's Perspective

Sweeney, a pivotal figure in this case, will spend 90 minutes under the spotlight. 

His testimony will shed light on Epic's Games Store operations and its experiences navigating the waters of Google Play and Android. His account will reportedly be instrumental in offering a holistic view of Google Play's purported monopolistic practices and their ramifications on the app ecosystem.

Price Action: GOOG shares closed higher by 2.01% to $138.73 on Friday. Shares gained 0.08% to $138.80 in the after-hours trading session. 

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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