Smartphone suit against Google plays into rivals' hands

[Wireless News]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/N5pLuhIw56cvQ_wgprU6CQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9NzU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2014-07-18T100406Z_1006950001_LYNXMPEA6H0FR_RTROPTP_2_CBUS INESS-US-GOOGLE-MICROSOFT-ANTITRUST-ANALYSIS.JPG (http://news.yahoo.com/smartphone-suit-against-google-plays-rivals-hands-100406175--finance.html)By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. consumer lawsuit accusing Google of monopolizing prime real estate on Android smartphones will help mobile rivals like Microsoft make their antitrust case with European regulators should damaging secrets emerge in court. The suit, filed in California federal court in May by two smartphone consumers, said Google requires handset manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to restrict competing apps like Microsoft's Bing search on Android phones, partly by making Google's own apps the default. Google argued last week the proposed class action should be dismissed because consumers still are free to use the other apps. If a judge lets the lawsuit proceed, plaintiffs' attorneys would be allowed to delve into internal Google emails and contracts with smartphone companies, and could interview Google executives under oath, said Steve Berman, who represents the consumers.



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