Android phones getting something iPhone owners outside Europe can only dream of

We recently reported that a US court has ordered Google to open its Play Store to third-party app stores amid a swathe of other, significant changes. But now the ramifications of the ruling are becoming more clear.

Microsoft is one of the first to announce that it'll be taking advantage, revealing that it will soon allow Android phone owners to purchase Xbox games through its dedicated app.

Xbox's president, Sarah Bond, posted the announcement on her X feed (via The Verge), and while she didn't elaborate on the availability of purchased games, they could be available to play on the device immediately. That's because Xbox Cloud Gaming also works on Android phones, so it could be used as a delivery mechanism to stream owned games directly.

This move is likely to just be the first of a swarm of similar intentions – allowing for much more variety in how you get Android apps and games. It is also possible streaming services will start to offer discounts and direct payments through their apps too.

The court ruling, which was the result of the lengthy Epic vs Google case, found Google's management of its app payment system to be "illegal". It was also running an "illegal monopoly" by enforcing numerous restrictions on its Play Store service for third-party developers.

It should also result in global wide changes, rather than the EU's similar enforced regulations on Apple and its own App Store, which only apply to countries in the European Union.

Microsoft is yet to share more on the nuts and bolts of its plans, beyond Bond's X post. However, we'll update when there's additional information on how Xbox game purchasing through Android works.