On Wednesday, dozens of US states sued Google, accusing it of abusing its power with Android smartphone users who wanted to download apps. The lawsuits against the Play Store come at a time when leading information technology companies face growing criticism and lawsuits.
“We are filing this lawsuit to end Google’s illegal monopoly and finally give millions of consumers and business owners a voice,” said New York Attorney General Laetitia James. “This company has forced hundreds of millions of consumers to turn to Google, and Google alone, to access the millions of applications they might want to download on their mobile phones and tablets.”
The lawsuit, backed by 37 attorneys general, accuses Google of using anti-competitive methods to prevent apps from being distributed through channels other than the Play Store, which charges transaction fees.
Wilson White, Google’s director of public policy, defends the response posted in official blog that the company’s Android operating system and the company’s digital app store “provide openness and choice that just isn’t available on other platforms.”
Remember that in the United States, he faces three other claims, including antitrust lawsuit. submitted by the country’s Ministry of Justice, who accuses the company of abusing its dominant market position and harming competition. The lawsuit is the largest antitrust lawsuit ever filed by the government. since the case against Microsoft in 1998…
In Europe, the European Commission announced in June that launched a formal antitrust investigation against giant Mountain View check if the company violates competition rules in the European Union. According to Brussels, the investigation is aimed at analyzing whether Google is prioritizing its online advertising technologies with other ad service providers.
At the same time, a decision is expected in the process introduced by Epic Games vs. Apple for abuse of a dominant position in the App Store.
