States Target Google Play Store Practices in Antitrust Suit

Three dozen states and the District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company operates an illegal monopoly with its Google Play app store. The bipartisan antitrust suit adds to the company’s mounting legal challenges. Led by the state of Utah and filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, it alleges that the company has monopolized the distribution of apps on mobile devices that run the Google-owned Android operating system, blocking competition through contracts, technical barriers and other means.  The states’ lawsuit challenges Google’s description of Android as an open operating system. It targets the in-app payment requirement, saying it has allowed Google to monopolize in-app payments on Android phones and charge excessive commissions. Practices such as those harm consumers by raising the prices of apps and weakening competition between developers that could lead to more secure apps with better features, the suit alleges. The states also accuse Google of trying to “buy off” Samsung Electronics, a manufacturer of smartphones.