A Canadian class action lawsuit against Apple is moving to trial, alleging a 2005 conspiratorial deal with Google locked out competitive search engines. The plaintiff claims Apple and Google explicitly entered business in 2005 to make Google the global search giant, with Apple agreeing not to develop its own search engine. The lawsuit argues Apple's lack of a search engine allowed Google to control the market and set high ad prices.
While the judge allowed the case to proceed, legal experts note significant flaws: Apple had minimal market share in 2005 and merely needed a search engine for customers. The partnership was modified in 2007 with the iPhone, but Apple only exceeded 40% market share around 2020. Customers have always been able to choose alternative search engines.
The plaintiff was originally told to pursue Google through arbitration but instead modified the suit to focus on Apple. The case highlights ongoing tensions between Apple and Google's default search arrangements under regulatory scrutiny.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing