Home › News ›

Antitrust Lawsuit Targets Google Search on Android

May 2, 2014, 7:30 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Google has been socked with a nationwide antitrust lawsuit filed by consumer advocate lawyers. The law firm, Hagens Berman, alleges that Google illegally manipulated the market for mobile search through its Mobile Application Distribution Agreement. Google gives the Android operating system away for free, but in order to take advantage of Google Services handset makers have to sign the MADA. Google preloads its own apps, including Search, YouTube, Gmail, Play Store, and others, on Android devices made by companies that have signed the MADA. The lawyers suggest Google used the MADA to force its services onto Android devices and into the hands of consumers, rather than allow them to choose - and artificially raised handset prices in the process. "Anyone can use Android without Google and anyone can use Google without Android," said Google in a statement provided to Reuters. "Since Android's introduction, greater competition in smartphones has given consumers more choices at lower prices." Nokia, now owned by Microsoft, has done exactly this with the Nokia X family of handsets, which run Android but don't include Google Services. Nokia chose to substitute Microsoft's services for Google's. It's unclear what resolution Hagens Berman expects to achieve with the lawsuit.

Related

iPhone 14 Plus Offers a Big Screen For Less

Sep 7, 2022
Apple has revealed the iPhone 14 series, with new features, improved specs, and new size options. In place of a Mini option, the iPhone 14 will come in the same 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screen size options as the Pro models.

Google Lens Now Lets You Refine a Visual Search with Text

Apr 7, 2022
Google has updated its Lens camera-based search tool with an experimental feature that lets you type in extra search terms to refine your visual search. Google calls this new image+text type of search "multisearch".

Google Maps Putting Search Results in AR Live View

Sep 29, 2022
Google has announced an update to the Google Maps app with several interesting new features. The augmented-reality Live View feature now works in a search mode to find and show you specific places nearby, instead of just overlaying walking directions during ongoing navigation.

New Senate Bill Would Reshape App Stores

Aug 12, 2021
A bipartisan group of three US Senators has introduced new legislation that would place major new rules on the app stores run by Apple and Google. The Open App Markets Act would: Ensure users could access third-party app stores and make them the default.

Consumer Cellular Launches Flip Phone with eSIM

Oct 16, 2023
Consumer Cellular has launched the first feature phone in the US with an eSIM. The Iris Flip is a white-label, flip-style phone that also has the largest display in its class at 3.2 inches.

more news about:

Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

Zpike

May 2, 2014, 11:26 AM

It appears

I'm not the only one who is concerned about what Google is doing with GMS.

Joshmo

They offer good products, and I'm okay with them preloading it on android, just as apple preloads their stuff on the iPhone.

What I feel is antitrust behavior from google is them blocking youtube access from Microsoft.

dabbler

It appears that another group of parasitic ambulance chasing lawyers are trying to reach into some deep pockets and hope for a settlement. Settlement, because the law suit would have no chance with a jury.

Bababooey

I can smell out of court settlement. That's what these lawyers live for.

Zpike

seem to understand what is going on with GMS. You just assume that this another group trying to get some cash out of a big company. But you're oblivious to what is actually wrong with what Google is doing.

...

Page 1 of 1