Aug 23, 2021 13:00:00

What is Google's secret plan 'Project Hug'?

Epic Games , the developer of the popular game `` Fort Knight '', has filed lawsuits around the world for allegedly violating antitrust laws by Google and Apple's app distribution platforms, but August 19, 2021 Epic Games released an ``uncensored version of the complaint'' in a court held in California on the day, revealing that Google was developing a ``project that maintains the exclusive position of the Play Store'' became. Jeremy C. Owens , San Francisco bureau chief of the business news site MarketWatch , has summarized the specific name and detailed content of the project revealed by this complaint.

Epic has sent out its unredacted antitrust complaint against Google, which reveals some things that were not revealed before, such as ...

— Jeremy C. Owens (@jowens510) August 19, 2021

Epic v. Google unredacted complaint - DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21046008-epic-v-google-unredacted-complaint/

From the `` Unmodified version of the complaint against Google '' released by Epic Games on August 19, 2021, Google funds app developers to prevent app developers from using app distribution platforms other than the Play Store. It became clear that measures were taken such as providing , and requesting smartphone manufacturers to eliminate application distribution platforms other than the Play store.

Google was taking excessive measures against Epic Games because it was afraid that the ``direct DL'' method would spread to other publishers-GIGAZINE

Among the public complaints, Google's series of measures are called 'Project Hug', and major app developers including

Activision Blizzard , which develops popular game apps such as ' Call of Duty Mobile ', are ' It is written that he agreed to the contract of 'Project Hug'. At the same time, Epic Games received a proposal from Google that ``If you agree to publish Fort Knight on the Play Store and pay a 30% fee, we will offer YouTube's sponsorship contract and cloud services at a discounted price.'' is also revealed.

In addition, Epic Games said in a 2019 Google internal document, ``If Epic Games' own app distribution method is allowed, a loss of up to $ 1.4 billion (about 150 billion yen) will occur by 2022, and Amazon and Samsung will If Epic Games' move is followed, it could ultimately result in a loss of $6 billion (660 billion yen).'

Furthermore, in order to prevent mobile phone operators from developing their own app distribution platforms for Android, Google has been working with multiple mobile phone operators since 2009. ~ 25%, Google gets 5 to 10% 'he said he had a contract. In the lawsuit, Epic Games said, ``Google understood that the

incentive for mobile operators to earn more commissions outweighed the opportunity lost due to the inability of mobile operators to build their own platforms.'' points out.

In addition, Google is aware that only 4.4% of all Android apps were downloaded outside the Play Store between June and September 2016, and in a 2017 Google internal document, ``U.S.A. In all countries, including, the Play Store is dominant.' Epic Games claims that Google was aware of the Play Store's monopoly.

In addition, on July 7, 2021, the Attorney General of 36 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC) in the United States said, ``The distribution method of Android applications is effectively limited only to the Play Store, and in that state, the application developer will charge a fee. We are suing Google for violating the Antimonopoly Act.