Google and Apple accused of collusion to control search market
A class-action lawsuit against Apple and Google suggested the company CEOs met in secret to collude on the suppression of the search market, but it has been dismissed by a Judge in California.
According to a court filing seen by AppleInsider, California Judge Rita Lin has dismissed all claims made by the plaintiffs but has left the opportunity for one claim to be amended for reexamination. The plaintiffs have 30 days to submit their second amended complaint.
The second allegation claims Apple and Google’s exclusive default search engine agreement eliminated the opportunity for competition to emerge. The plaintiffs didn’t provide enough evidence and were allowed to amend their claim, but it was dismissed until then.
If the judge doesn’t find the resubmitted complaints sufficient, the case will be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs won’t be able to pursue these claims again. Meanwhile, the DOJ antitrust probe is still underway with no end in sight.
