The core claims brought in a consumer antitrust suit against Google LLC have been allowed to proceed, but allegations related to fraudulent concealment are in jeopardy. The case, James Attridge, et al. v. Google LLC, centers on allegations that Google has unlawfully monopolized the U.S. general search services market through exclusive agreements with mobile device manufacturers, sellers, and browser developers.
The plaintiffs, a group of four consumers, argue that Google’s default search engine agreements have stifled competition, preventing rival search engines from gaining traction. They allege that Google’s contracts with companies like Apple, Mozilla, and major Android manufacturers have foreclosed competition by preselecting Google as the default search engine on devices and browsers. According to the complaint, these agreements have allowed Google to maintain its dominance, with a staggering 94.9% market share on mobile devices as of 2020.
The decision comes in the same month that Google announced a partnership with Apple to use Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system to replace Apple’s failing Siri virtual assistant. That partnership, if allowed to proceed, could put a Gemini-powered chatbot on two billion Apple devices, making competition with the two giants an even greater challenge.
Presiding in...
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