Google Beats Claims It Forced Unwanted Apps on Device Makers

Google won dismissal of claims it abused its market power by forcing hand-held device makers that use its Android operating system to also provide the search engine company’s applications. US District Judge Beth L. Freeman in San Jose (CA) ruled that consumers failed to identify any harm that the antitrust laws they sued under were designed to address.

Google was accused in a consumer lawsuit of requiring manufacturers make its search engine the default option on Android-powered devices and forcing handset makers such as Samsung to offer less popular Android applications in order to pre-load, for free, favorites such as YouTube. Google faces similar claims in Europe, where it’s under mounting pressure to address competition and privacy issues. European Union lawmakers in November called for regulators to consider splitting the company if it can’t settle a four-year-old antitrust probe. The judge gave lawyers for the consumers three weeks to amend some of their claims and refile the case.