this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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Google Antitrust Judge Told Android Contracts Blocked Startup Search App - Bloomberg (www.bloomberg.com)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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cross-posted from [email protected]

  • Tech startup, Branch Metrics, claims Google hindered its search app development through exclusive revenue-sharing agreements with Samsung, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
  • The US government accuses Google of illegally maintaining its online search monopoly by having its search engine as the default on PCs and mobile phones, which Google denies.
  • Branch Metrics aimed to create a search engine for mobile apps, with significant funding raised and intended integration in Samsung devices starting 2019.
  • Due to Google's contract, Samsung limited the functionality of Branch's product, restricting it to search only 25 apps and conceal results from apps not installed on the device.
  • Google's revenue-share agreements initially required it to be the sole "web search engine" on devices, later extending to "only connected search and internet search" on devices in 2020.
  • AT&T and a Google executive raised concerns about the Branch product violating revenue-share agreements, impacting potential partnerships and Branch's product functionality.
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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Quite frankly, fuck Branch. I use the DDG app on my phone to block app tracking, and Branch is regularly at the top of the list. If they made a search engine it would likely be tracking as much or more than Google is.