09
Apr
2013-04-09_09h28_56

Microsoft (Along With Nokia, Oracle, Others) Tells EU To Stop Letting Google Bundle Its Apps With Android, Misses Irony

Posted by in Google, News

FairSearch Europe—a coalition of Google competitors or legal adversaries including, among others, Microsoft, Nokia, and Oracle—has filed a complaint with the European Union alleging that Google is abusing its dominant OS position in the mobile market to push its own set of apps.

The group claims that Android is used "as a deceptive way to build advantages for key Google apps in 70 percent of the smartphones shipped today," pointing out that manufacturers have to agree to a certain set of rules requiring inclusion or placement of certain apps. If they want to use Google apps, of course. Manufacturers are free to use Android for whatever purpose they choose without them, if they think that will be a greater benefit.

28
Sep
motorola-red-logo

Department Of Justice Taking A Second Look At Google-Moto Deal, Probably No Cause For Alarm

Posted by in Android OS, Motorola, News

Over at Google's Public Policy Blog (yes, that really exists) today, Senior VP Dennis Woodside issued a statement that the U.S. Department of Justice was taking a "second look" at certain potential antitrust issues in the Google-Motorola deal. What's it mean?

A $12.5 billion acquisition of a major US company that has been independent for over 30 years is always going to invite scrutiny from Uncle Sam, and let's face it, it's probably not a bad sign that the government is batting a second eye at these kinds of purchases.

Google, according to the post as shown below, remains confident that the deal will go through, and is cooperating fully with the DoJ during this evaluation, one Google has undergone before.

31
Aug
t-mobilemytouch4g-adlg-400x276

[Update: AT&T And Sprint Respond] U.S. Looks To Block AT&T And T-Mobile Deal, Files Antitrust Complaint

Posted by in AT&T, News, T-Mobile

In the ongoing saga that is the AT&T and T-Mobile merger, yet another bump in the road has surfaced. This time it's directly from the United States government, who says that if the AT&T/T-Mobile merger were to go through, it would "remove a significant competitive force from the market." As a result, the U.S. has filed an antitrust complaint looking to block the proposed deal.

While this doesn't mean a guaranteed rejection, it is most definitely going to make progress much harder for Ma Bell. If the estimated $39 billion deal does get rejected, however, AT&T will still have to pay $3 billion to Deutsche Telekom, the owner of T-Mobile USA, as well as provide T-Mo with wireless spectrum in some areas and reduced charges for use of AT&T's network.