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Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

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Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#641
post #378

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not a lawyer, but the idea of #2 seems crazy to me. Have there been any past case(s) where the country/nationality of minority owners of a company has been grounds for changing a ruling?

I’m also not a lawyer, I don’t think they can change a ruling. But they could certainly get a law passed that changes the rules and supersedes the ruling.

There are also are intl trade agreements that outlaw favouring domestic companies that the USA enormously benefits from.

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#642

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the difference here is that Apple locks things down on Apple hardware running Apple software. On the other hand, Google is trying to manipulate the market to gain an advantage over competitors on non Google hardware running Google software. On the Apple side of things, the full vertical is Apple. That is not the case for Google.

Ok so Google is punished for being more open in the first case? Sounds fishy to me ...

Especially since Google had always had the AOSP as a reasonable way of demonstrating their commitment to the industry as a whole disjoint from the places where they thought the Google ecosystem provided extra value (which they admittedly require you to take wholesale)

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#644
post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The jury found that Google has a monopoly on the Android platform. That would extend to Apple and iOS, but I’ll be shocked if that finding is turned into a legal precedent that is upheld on appeal. For one thing, the jury is probably more technically savvy than the judges that will ultimately decide this case.

Monopolies are not illegal. It’s leveraging the monopoly to exert force on adjacent markets that is. In the case here googles foul play is making side deals for preferential treatment against other app stores given their control over the handset operating system. Apple doesn’t offer an App Store market and never has nor ever represented otherwise, the app store is and always has been part of the operating system. Thi…

> Apple doesn’t offer an App Store market and never has nor ever represented otherwise, the app store is and always has been part of the operating system.

"Apple doesn't offer an App Store market" is just assuming the conclusion. Nobody expects you to get competing app stores from Apple -- you get them from Apple's competitors. What Apple ought to be in trouble for is interfering with their operating system customers' ability to patronize competing app stores.

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#646

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, does the site report this kind of info? That’s interesting, where? It would also be neat to know mobile vs desktop, and how’s the Linux population doing here.

Anecdotal and also not sure how reliable this info can be but I am the developer of HACK which is available on both iOS and Android and I have a significantly larger user base on iOS than android.

That's the closest thing to hard data we have. The only difference would be if there's some difference in tendencies between iOS and Android users to use the web versus an app.

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#647

Looks like Epic is getting almost everything they wanted from both Google and Apple, given that EU is giving their hands to do all the jobs necessary for the Apple's case. Those two stores will remain dominant (>95% share) for a foreseeable future, but at least customers will have a choice. Now I wonder what if Google/Apple decided to decrease their cut to a more reasonable level, around 10~15%? App store/Play store…

Apple makes a TRUCKLOAD of money off of their 30%.

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#648
post #322

It will be extremely interesting to see how this shapes android going forward. Google didn’t just lose some point— they lost every point > The jury unanimously answered yes to every question put before them — that Google has monopoly power in the Android app distribution markets and in-app billing services markets, that Google did anticompetitive things in those markets, and that Epic was injured by that behavior. Th…

Google has already appealed this. I imagine the Supreme Court will probably rule on this case. I’m not looking forward to whatever boneheaded precedent they’ll set in the process.

The current Supreme Court is primarily concerned with constitutionality and clearing "legal debt" (decisions outside the scope of the Court as chartered) from previous courts. I would be surprised if they take this one up.

Re: Epic vs. Google: Google Loses

#649

Couple of thoughts for HN as a lawyer: 1. The fact that Google lost here doesn't bind or affect apple. Jury verdicts aren't binding on any party other than those in the lawsuit. Apple may or may not be found to violate the law in a separate case. 2. Interesting no one has mentioned Epic's Chinese ownership. I could see Google complaining to us govt that it's unfair for Chinese tech to win these court cases against US…

Epic is not a Chinese company. I'm not sure why people think it is just because some Chinese investors bought shares.
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