ACT | The App Association Applauds Court’s Decision in Google Search Antitrust Remedies

WASHINGTON – ACT | The App Association applauds today’s ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta in the United States v Google search antitrust case. Judge Mehta rejected the Department of Justice’s overly broad and unrelated proposed remedies, a significant win for small technology companies and app developers who utilize Google’s integrated marketplace and suite of services to reach consumers worldwide with their innovative solutions.

“We thank Judge Mehta for heeding our call to right size the remedies and rejecting ones that would cause broader disruption to the mobile ecosystem,” said Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association. “The App Association’s members rely on integrated developer services and tools to reduce overhead costs and free up resources for innovation. The judge’s decision protects this successful business model and rules out the disastrous disruption of thousands of symbiotic relationships between small tech companies and Google.”

Wins for Small Tech in Judge’s Ruling:

1. No divestiture of Chrome or Android platforms

Small app developers have built their successful businesses on top of the technical specifications and tools provided by the Google Play store, the Chrome Web Store, and Android operating system. The judge’s ruling maintains the structure of the vibrant ecosystem that App Association members and thousands of other small tech companies have built.

2. No additional notification requirements for acquisitions

Acquisition is often a strong motivator for product development, especially in emerging technology areas. Startups with successful innovations can leverage acquisition by larger, better financed companies to scale their solutions across the global marketplace. The judge’s ruling to not require additional acquisition notification means that in fast moving technology areas like artificial intelligence, the latest products reach consumers at the speed of innovation, not the speed of government.

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