US: Google makes its case to nix Android suit

Google made its case to a US federal judge Thursday in efforts to have a lawsuit that alleges anticompetitive business practices regarding the Android operating system dismissed.

Two smartphone customers filed their lawsuit against Google accusing the company of unfairly forcing device makers like Samsung Electronics to pre-load their phones with Google-owned applications instead of rival products. The claims say Google is unfairly tying Android smartphones to Google products like Google Maps and Chrome.

But on Thursday, the company argued that the lawsuit has no merit because consumers are still free to use other rival apps; the plaintiffs, however, argue that most consumers do not know how to switch the settings on their phone that make Google products their default apps, or will not go through the trouble to do so.

US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman is now weighing whether to allow the class action to move forward. If she does, reports say the case could publicize loads of internal Google documents.

Similar allegations were lodged against Google in the EU earlier this year.

Full content: Voa News

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