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Google Seeks to Dismiss Antitrust Lawsuit Over Android

Dec 18, 2014, 8:41 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Google is hoping to convince a San Jose judge to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. over its app-bundling practices on Android smartphones. Two plaintiffs allege Google restricts the use of competing apps, made by companies such as Microsoft, in favor of its own apps and services on Android handsets. For example, Google is the default search engine on Android handsets, rather than Microsoft's Bing. Google believes the suit should be dismissed because consumers are free to use whichever apps they want. The plaintiffs disagree, stating most people don't know how to change the default apps, and many of those who do won't go through the trouble of doing it. The plaintiffs argued Google apps "are widely used on Android by requiring default placement and other mechanisms for disadvantaging competing apps." Reuters reports that if the lawsuit is allowed to move forward, lawyers will gain access to internal emails and contracts between Google and its handset partners. The initial hearing is set to take place later today.

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cainthecavebear

Dec 18, 2014, 10:10 AM

Ugh!

Here we go again... 🙄
If I'm reading this right, one of the most viscious violators of anti-trust laws, Microsoft, is suing Google for using its own apps as default and claims consumers are too ignorant to change the default apps? Is this for real?

mikkej2k

On my Windows laptop , or my daughters Windows Phone , I can delete or add programs/apps as much as I would like - without having to root the device.

Yes there are default programs , but there is more freedom out of the box than Android.

...

Zpike

Excuse me if I have to emphatically agree with you on this one. 😛

T Bone

What is good for the goose....

Microsoft was sued for including Internet Explorer in with Windows and making it the default browser, even though it is ridiculously easy to download an alternative browser.

If it is wrong for Microsoft, then it is...
(continues)

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