Judge dismisses class-action antitrust case accusing Apple & Google of collusion

Google and Apple accused of collusion to control search market

Lawsuits against Apple and Google are a dime a dozen, but some leave the court as fast as they arrived. Many assume that there is some secret agreement beyond what is known between Apple and Google, and some believed it enough to take it to court.

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 first allegation suggested Apple and Google entered into a secret agreement where Apple would not compete in the search business in exchange for profit sharing from Google. This claim was dismissed without leave to amend.

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.

The plaintiffs couldn't demonstrate antitrust or injury from the alleged behavior. The judge dismissed these claims without leave to amend them and also dismissed the plaintiff's request for recovery.

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.

Arcell v Google Order on Motion to Dismiss 2-5-2024 by Mike Wuerthele on Scribd