United States: Many states accuse Google of monopoly access to apps

Dozens of states in the United States on Wednesday sued Google, accusing it of abusing its power over Android phone users who want to download apps.

These cases targeting the online store Play Store aimed at getting applications or other digital content on its Android smartphone have come at a time when major IT teams are facing growing lawsuits and criticism.

“We are bringing this case to an end to Google’s illegal monopoly and finally to give a voice to millions of consumers and entrepreneurs,” said New York Attorney General Ledidia James, one of the leaders in the process.

“Hundreds of millions of consumers have turned to Google and Google alone to access the millions of apps the company wants to download to their phones and tablets.”

37 With the support of the Attorney General, Google has been accused of using anti-competitive methods to encourage the distribution of apps through channels other than its Play Store, which collects transaction commissions.

“Android and Google Play offer an openness and choice not found on other platforms,” ​​said Wilson White, Google’s director of public policy.

Google has been accused of positioning itself as a journey between app developers and consumers.

At the same time, one of the high-profile lawsuits brought by Epic Games against Apple for abusing a dominant position in its App Store awaits.

The App Store is the only gateway for apps and other content for iPhones and other devices running the iOS operating system.

Alternatively, users of Android mobile hardware can access apps other than the Play Store.

These lawsuits are initiated amid growing misgivings about the power of information technology companies, which are increasingly dominating key sectors of the economy and growing during epidemics.

Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress introduced five bills in June that directly targeted the “monopolies” of technology bills such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon (KAFA).

“Currently, unregulated technological monopolies have more power over the economy,” wrote David Cecil, a Democrat who heads the anti-monopoly group in the House of Representatives.

He added: “They are in a unique position to select winners and losers, destroy small businesses, raise consumer prices and fire people. ”

The European Commission has been increasing its attacks on Kafa for years, and its behavior is considered anti-competitive.

But pressure is mounting in the United States as well. Amazon, Facebook and Google are subject to lawsuits initiated by federal officials, alliances of US states and lawyers in the capital, Washington.