The Google Play Store “$2+” settlement stems from long-running concerns that Google used its control over Android app distribution to steer or require developers to use Google Play Billing for in‑app purchases and subscriptions. During the August 16, 2016 to September 30, 2023 period covered by the agreement, consumers who paid through the Play Store or Play Billing may have indirectly borne higher prices because developers typically factored Google’s service fees into what users pay. The settlement site indicates that eligible users can submit a claim by February 19, 2026, with no proof required, reflecting how digital transactions can be verified through platform records rather than receipts. The case was brought by state attorneys general alleging anticompetitive billing and payment practices—essentially that Google’s rules and enforcement limited alternative payment options and reduced competition that could have lowered fees and, in turn, consumer costs. Its significance is that it targets the “payments layer” of app ecosystems, a major revenue choke point where platform owners can influence pricing and market access. Similar legal pressure has played out globally—most famously in disputes like Epic Games v. Google—and alongside regulatory efforts such as the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which pushes dominant “gatekeepers” to allow greater choice and interoperability, including more flexibility around in‑app payment steering and competing billing options.