Google has agreed to a $700 million settlement over allegations of stifling competition in its Play Store on Android devices.
This deal follows a lawsuit by US states and a related victory by Epic Games against Google. The Alphabet Inc-owned tech giant will allocate $630 million to a consumer fund and $70 million to state funds.
Additionally, Google has pledged changes to the Android system in the US, allowing developers to use alternative billing methods for in-app purchases.
This move comes after criticisms of Google's high fees and lack of payment options in the Play Store. In a pilot program with Spotify, Google began exploring alternative payment methods last year, which it now plans to expand across the Play Store.
The settlement, requiring approval from a California federal judge, also includes provisions for easier app downloading outside the Play Store and updates on risk notifications for users.