Google was recently hit with an antitrust lawsuit (seeking class action status), which alleges that the company’s mostly secret agreements with Android smartphone and tablet makers – which include provisions that prevent-the OEMs from including competing apps on their devices other than Google’s set of apps, with special emphasis on search – allow Google to monopolize the mobile search business, driving up the cost of devices in the process. Versions of Google’s Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA) with Samsung and HTC have already popped up in various trials, including Apple vs Samsung and Oracle vs Google, revealing some of the rules OEMs have to adhere to in order to be able to offer Google apps on their Android devices. Re/code



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