Competing Android app stores are now back on Google Play in the U.S., and Aptoide is leading the charge. On Monday, following over a decade away, the Portugal-based app distributor brought its games store home to Google Play.

This marks the first time in many years that U.S. users can install a direct competitor to Google’s Android app store from within Google Play itself. It's a significant milestone in opening up the app market to more competition. Aptoide, with over 40,000 apps and around 25 million monthly active users, is one of the larger Android app marketplaces outside of Google Play.

The change comes following U.S. District Judge James Donato’s ruling in the Epic Games lawsuit, which requires Google to allow third-party app stores access to its Play Store ecosystem through a new program called Play Catalog Access. This allows competitors like Aptoide to use Google Play's infrastructure and catalog of apps while remaining independent.

Google initially faced criticism for its restrictive policies, often seen as anticompetitive. The ruling in the Epic Games case forced a change that could lead to more diverse app store options for users, potentially enriching the Android ecosystem with unique applications and services.