Aptoide Games is now available inside Google Play in the United States, making it the first rival Android app store to be distributed through Google's own marketplace. Competing Android app stores are now back on Google Play in the U.S., and Aptoide is the first to take advantage of the new option, TechCrunch reported.
The return follows a bitter antitrust fight: in April, Aptoide sued Google, accusing the search giant of monopolizing app distribution and billing. The Verge notes the listing marks the most visible sign yet that Google is opening its store to competitors, following years of regulatory and legal pressure.
For now, Aptoide Games is only available through the Play Store in the US; Android users elsewhere can still sideload the store or download it from Aptoide directly. The company, founded in Portugal in 2011, also operates an iOS game store and offers a large catalogue of games.
Sources
- techcrunch.comAptoide becomes the first rival app store to return to Google Play in the US (TechCrunch)
- theverge.comThe first rival Android app store just arrived in the US Play Store (The Verge)
- engadget.comAn Android App Store Competitor Is Available In The Play Store (Engadget)
- digitaltrends.comAptoide becomes the first third-party app store to land inside Google Play (Digital Trends)
