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☆ Verizon executive testifies Google search always pre-installed on mobile phones
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Diane Bartz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Monday questioned a Verizon executive about the company’s decision to always pre-install Google’s Chrome browser with Google search on its mobile phones, as the government sought to show that Alphabet’s Google broke antitrust law to maintain its dominance in online search. Antonio Rangel, who teaches behavioral biology at the California Institute of Technology, testified last week that people are likely to stick with defaults like search engines or map apps on computers and mobile phones. In response, Google lawyer John Schmidtlein showed the court data indicating that users happily stick with Google’s search engine when pre-installed on their devices but switch away from others they like less. Companies have defended themselves by emphasizing that their services are free, as in the case of Google, or inexpensive, as in the case of Amazon.com. He may decide simply to order Google to stop practices he has found to be illegal or he may order Google to sell assets.

Persons: Arnd, Brian Higgins, “, Google’s, James Kolotouros, Antonio Rangel, John Schmidtlein, Trump, Judge Amit Mehta Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S . Justice, Verizon, Google, California Institute of Technology, Companies Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, Washington, California, U.S

The trial began Tuesday with talk of the "future of the internet" but quickly plunged into the weeds of commercial agreements with Android makers like Motorola and Samsung. James Kolotouros, a Google executive responsible for negotiating the company's agreements with Android device makers and carriers, testified late in the week that Google pressed Android smartphone makers to have Google as the default search engine and other Google apps pre-installed on their machines. The antitrust fight has major implications for Big Tech, which has spent years being scrutinized by Congress and antitrust enforcers. Google argues that its search engine is wildly popular because of its quality, and payments to wireless companies or others were compensation for partners. The government also questioned a former Google executive, Chris Barton, who was at Google from 2004 to 2011.

Persons: Department's, Brian Higgins, James Kolotouros, Google's John Schmidtlein, Kolotouros, Antonio Rangel, Chris Barton, Barton, Bing, Tim Wu, Diane Bartz, Chizu Organizations: Google, Verizon, Motorola, Samsung, Department, Big Tech, Companies, California Institute of Technology, Biden, Thomson Locations: Bing

An illuminated Google logo is seen inside an office building in Zurich, Switzerland December 5, 2018. Rangel discussed how consumers were likely to stick with browsers on computers and mobile phones that were pre-installed as the default application. John Schmidtlein, a lawyer for Google, during cross-examination of Rangel, pointed out that a significant number of user search queries went to Google even when another search engine was the default. Google's clout in search, the government alleges, has helped Google build monopolies in some aspects of online search advertising. Search is free, so Google makes money through advertising.

Persons: Arnd, Antonio Rangel, Rangel, John Schmidtlein, Judge Amit Mehta, Diane Bartz, Mark Potter, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Justice Department, California Institute of Technology, Apple, Mozilla, Google, Big Tech, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, U.S

☆ Google argued during its antitrust trial that Android users can switch default search engines with a couple of clicks. An expert testified it took him 10 steps.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Google's antitrust trial is in full swing. However, one expert testified that switching from Google to Bing on an Android 12 was a 10-step process. Chris Barton, who worked for Google from 2004 to 2011, testified that he made it a priority to negotiate for Google to be the default search engine on mobile devices. He said he acquired an Android 12 phone and studied the process required to replace the Google search engine with Bing; it took 10 steps. Barton, however, testified that Google wasn't the only search engine seeking default status with phone companies.

Persons: Bing, Chris Barton, Antonio Rangel, Rangel, Barton, Microsoft's Bing, Trump, Judge Amit Mehta, Sundar Pichai, Larry Page, Eddy, Hal Varian Organizations: Google, Service, U.S . Justice Department, California Institute of Technology, Bing, Yahoo, Verizon, Justice Department, Inc, Apple Locations: Wall, Silicon, WASHINGTON, Germany, Austria, , California

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