Google to pay $700 million in Play app store case settlement

Alphabet's Google has agreed to pay $700 A million and to allow for greater competition in its Play app store, according to the terms of an antitrust settlement with US states and consumers disclosed on Monday in a San Francisco federal court.

Google will pay $630 million into a settlement fund for consumers and $70 million into a fund that will be used by states, according to the settlement, which still requires a judge's final approval.

The settlement said eligible consumers will receive at least $2 and may get additional payments based on their spending on Google Play between 16 August 2016 and 30 September 2023. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, joined the settlement.

Google was accused of overcharging consumers through unlawful restrictions on the distribution of apps on Android devices and unnecessary fees for in-app transactions. It did not admit wrongdoing.