Recent court rulings have determined that Google is monopolistic and has used its powers to unfairly limit competition. These rulings and the potential remedies that may be imposed have far reaching implications for online search, online advertising, and the way apps are obtained.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-judge-rules-google-broke-antitrust-law-search-case-2024-08-05
Google has dominant control of online search, related digital advertising, and even the functionality and services offered through apps distributed through the Android app store. The remedies that will be imposed by regulators and the judiciary are not yet known, but they are almost certain to improve competition and innovation in online search and the ability of companies great and small to innovate with the features and services offered through Android apps. Apple’s app store will likely face similar scrutiny in the future.
As a firm dedicated to Tech M&A, we support market changes that boost competition and promote innovation. While Google has delivered a tremendous amount of innovation over the years, their tremendous success has become a limiter on others. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.