4 ms·
Not a lawyer, but anti-trust could apply.
by joshmn 8y ago
Not a lawyer, but anti-trust could apply.
- iamthirsty 8y agoNo it can't, Google isn't the only "App Store" in town, and you are not forced to use them, so it in no way could apply.
- balls187 8y ago"Could apply", and "likely to win in court" are two VERY different arguments.
- supermatt 8y agoGoogle is (by far) the dominant supplier of android apps, so it very much applies. We can debate this forever, the only thing that will prove it either way is a legal ruling - and I hope that happens soon, and results in a modernisation of competition law.
- iamthirsty 8y agoBut Android is not a technological monopoly, and Google has not monopolized all Android apps. You might have low standards for the application of anti-trust laws, but the government does not.
- supermatt 8y agoThe EU has already ruled on exactly this.
- iamthirsty 8y agoThe EU is much more neo-liberal than the U.S., and as a Libertarian, I'll wait and see what I trust is a more "valid" ruling — the opinion of a U.S. federal judge. If he/she rules a monopoly, and their opinion stands, I'll come back and give you kudos — alas, I don't think it will happen.
- supermatt 8y agoi agree. definitely not going to happen yet.
- bachmeier 8y agoBefore going down that road, before asking if all the legal conditions are met, the starting point is that you have to show harm to consumers. My experience of $200 in fraudulent credit card charges and apps that change to malware on a minor update suggest that this is in the interest of consumers. There's a neverending supply of bad actors in this line of business.