The Attorneys General from 36 states are filing an antitrust lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit focuses on the Google Play Store's policy of charging app developers a 30 percent commission on digital content or subscription purchases. They say Google forced potential competition out of Android app distribution through exclusionary contracts, tech barriers and "misleading" security warnings.
“Smartphones are a source of information, entertainment, and commerce in our daily lives, but Google’s abuse of its Android market dominance has stifled competition and consumer options for app downloads,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said. “We are filing this lawsuit today to end Google’s web of restrictive contracts that have unlawfully inflated the cost of many digital goods, services, upgrades or other purchases made through apps downloaded from the Google Play Store. This lawsuit seeks to protect both consumers and innovative app developers from these unlawful practices.”
The tech giant called the case "strange" in a blog post Wednesday, adding its app system provides "more openness and choice than others."
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