antitrust – Tech News

Google avoids break-up but must share data with rivals

Google will not have to sell its Chrome web browser but must share information with competitors, a US federal judge has ordered. The remedies decided by District Judge Amit Mehta have emerged after a years-long court battle over Google's dominance in online search. The case centred around Google's position as the default search engine on a range of its own products such as Android and Chrome as well as others made by the likes of Apple. The US Department of Justice had demanded that Google sell Chrome – Tuesday's decision means the tech giant can keep it but it will be barred from having exclusive contracts and must share search data with rivals.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8zdrenm1zo

Google’s antitrust case could hinge on the definition of AI

On the final day of the most consequential tech antitrust trial in decades, a question from the bench may have gotten to the core of Google’s (GOOGL) defense: Could artificial intelligence already be doing what regulators hope to accomplish through the courts? While the DOJ has focused on Google’s multibillion-dollar default search deals — particularly with Apple (AAPL) — the judge appears to be looking at whether the concept of a “search market” still applies in an AI-driven world.
https://qz.com/google-antitrust-case-ai-search-chatgpt-1851783125

Supreme Court rejects Epic v. Apple antitrust case

Epic v. Apple began in 2020 after Epic implemented its own payment system for Fortnite’s virtual currency, bypassing Apple’s commission on in-app purchases. Apple banned Epic from its iOS App Store and Epic filed a lawsuit in response, claiming the App Store — and Apple’s overall walled-garden approach to iOS — violated US antitrust laws. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected most of Apple’s claims and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely affirmed the decision.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24039983/supreme-court-epic-apple-antitrust-case-rejected