Corporate Strategist

Alphabet has been ordered to open its Android system to rivals, allowing them to create their own app marketplaces and payment systems.   This follows a successful lawsuit from Epic, the maker of F...

Welcome to News Discussion's Private Community

- Alphabet has been ordered to open its Android system to rivals, allowing them to create their own app marketplaces and payment systems. 
- This follows a successful lawsuit from Epic, the maker of Fortnite, which argued Google suppressed competition and charged excessive fees. 
- The injunction bans Google from paying developers to launch an app first or exclusively in the Play Store and from forcing customers to use its in-house billing system. 
- Google must also allow third-parties access to its app library for three years. 
- Google plans to appeal against the verdict, arguing it would put customers’ privacy and data security at risk.

Source: [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/c837a9de-7591-4fb7-81ee-d8ce0521341e)

Google Forced to Open Android to Rival App Stores After Court Defeat

Journalist

Google Forced to Open Android to Rival App Stores After Court Defeat- Grapevine

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

This is absolutely harsh from Google

The App Store  and Play Store are a duopoly and we have allowed them way too much power. Atleast Android has options but Apple is a complete walled garden and they won the lawsuit against Epic like wtf

Founder

Welcome to Gadgets & Apps's Private Community

Had one towards end of college, a different model

Did you own this ever in life?

Consultant

Now on this post just let me highlight few points as read from CCI vs google legal battle.
1. Google incentivize all the android manufacturere to not preload any app store(eg: thats why samsung store is laying like a undercontructed producted ).
2. To pre load any of google aap the OEM has to put all the apps that google want or esle play security wont pass.
3. You can not host any app which redirect to another app store or behave like app store on play store.
As you can see how google used android , a "open source" eco system to force this google play billing system.
Now android occupy 94% of user base here so its either on play store or you miss market. Sideloading is errered with crazy level of steps and warnings to prevent on play store app deployment.
And as a bonus as google TnC say you can use 3rd party billing for "digital services" why is youtube still on play store it dont use google play billing system.
Also google want the payment details of every transaction. Basically it want to study next profitable business to either buy it or clone it and with transaction details its much easier.

Delisting of 10 apps and the startups vs google

Software Developer

Few apps delisted are names such as Shaadi.com, OTT platform STAGE, social media app FRND. 
This might be temporary and these companies would get it live again, but is shd make us think the monopoly Google and apple has made in their respective ecosystem, Need of open and transparent third option , Google has a very high commission on transaction made via Play Store, Spotify had this issue earlier as well

Famous apps being delisted, can phonepe new appstore use this as a good opportunity

Associate Product Manager

Everyone wants Google's distribution, but no one wants to pay for it.

Everyone wants Google to stop doing what it's doing, but no one wants to invest in an alternative.

Alternatives, if any coming up, from India will be of cheap quality. Does anyone remember what happened to BharatOS, or what's happening with Krutrim. 

What these app developers are not realising is that, their business is more or less happening because Android as an OS is there. It's not just about play store. 

I wonder why they're not cribbing against the Apple app store. 

Could the rates be lower? Yes.
But what's in it for Google or Apple when that entire section of business is because of them?

No one is stopping anyone from building a new OS, a better one. As long as a good quality one is not coming up, everyone will have to rely on Google or Apple. 

It feels really bad when the founders try to make it a national issue as well 🤦🏻‍♂️

Oh, and even if a new OS comes up, I wonder how they're going to sustain it, plus make people choose that without the availability of other apps.

Rant about Google Play Store

Product Manager

AnupamMittal on Twitter

Google is becoming the new East India company for online business

- A federal judge has ruled that Google violated antitrust laws to maintain its monopoly in the online search market, marking a significant event for the tech industry.
- Judge Amit P. Mehta stated that Google abused its dominant position to stay on top, comparing the case to the landmark Microsoft antitrust ruling of the 1990s.
- The ruling demonstrates that current U.S. antitrust laws can be effectively applied to digital companies, focusing on factors beyond customer pricing.
- The decision is about liability, not remedies, leaving uncertainty about what actions Google will need to take next.
- The ruling stems from a 2020 lawsuit by the DOJ and several states, accusing Google of illegal dominance through contracts with Apple and Mozilla, and it paves the way for further antitrust actions against Big Tech. 

 Source: Axios

Federal Judge Rules Google Violated Antitrust Laws to Maintain Search Monopoly

- Yelp files antitrust lawsuit against Google, claiming monopoly in local search and advertising markets
- Lawsuit alleges Google manipulates results to promote its own local search offerings
- Yelp argues Google's actions hurt its business by lowering traffic and reducing ad revenues
- Case follows recent federal judge ruling that Google violated US antitrust law
- Yelp seeks monetary damages and injunction against Google's alleged anticompetitive practices 

 Source: [Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/yelp-sues-google-alleging-search-223246862.html)

Yelp Sues Google Over Alleged Search Engine Monopoly

- ChatGPT has reshaped global information-seeking since its 2022 debut, popularizing AI chatbots.
- Despite fears, Google Search remains dominant, with a 91.1% market share in June and rising ad revenue.
- Analysts credit Google's AI integration, particularly Gemini, for boosting search query growth and product performance.
- Google faces antitrust scrutiny, with ongoing cases accusing it of monopolizing the digital search and advertising markets.
- A ruling on the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google is expected in late 2024.

ChatGPT's Rise Doesn't Dethrone Google Search

- India's antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), found Apple exploited its dominant position in the iOS app store market, engaging in abusive practices.
- The CCI's 142-page report, seen by Reuters, highlights Apple's significant influence over digital products and services, forcing developers to use its proprietary billing system.
- Apple denies wrongdoing, citing its small market share in India, where Android dominates, but the CCI report states Apple's App Store is indispensable for developers.
- The investigation, initiated by a non-profit group and supported by Indian startups and Match Group, claims Apple's in-app fees hurt competition and violate Indian laws.
- The CCI's findings come amid global antitrust scrutiny of Apple, with potential fines and directives to change business practices pending a final decision. 

 Source: Reuters

India Antitrust Probe Finds Apple Abused Position in Apps Market

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

Ben Thompson on the Google remedy: 

"I think the answer to the remedy question is an injunction against Google making any sort of payments or revenue share for search; if you’re a monopoly you don’t get to extend your advantage with contracts, period"

The DOJ brought the right kind of case against an Aggregator, which stagnates by being too nice; the goal is for companies to act like they actually have enemies.

Google Forced to Open Android to Rival App Stores After Court Defeat

Discover More

Indian Startups on

by Jordon Carmden

Grapevine

This is absolutely harsh from Google

Gadgets & Apps on

by Blair Taye

Stealth

Did you own this ever in life?

Indian Startups on

by Kendall Carmden

zopper

Delisting of 10 apps and the startups vs google

News Discussion on

by Matilda Nadeen

Stealth

Famous apps being delisted, can phonepe new appstore use this as a good opportunity

Misc on

by Jordon Lee

Target

Rant about Google Play Store

News Discussion on

by Kendall Lee

Stealth

Google is becoming the new East India company for online business

News Discussion on

by Aaron Vernon

Grapevine

Federal Judge Rules Google Violated Antitrust Laws to Maintain Search Monopoly

News Discussion on

by Kalan Lee

Grapevine

Yelp Sues Google Over Alleged Search Engine Monopoly

News Discussion on

by Kalan Denver

Grapevine

ChatGPT's Rise Doesn't Dethrone Google Search

News Discussion on

by Kalan Carmden

Grapevine

India Antitrust Probe Finds Apple Abused Position in Apps Market

Office Gossip on

by Karilyn Carmden

Swiggy

Federal judge rules against Google in antitrust case