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Google defends Android phone maker deals, denies carrot and stick tactics

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  • Google says offers boosted competitors
  • EU regulators say Google actions went past the required
  • Case is most vital of three EU choices towards Google

LUXEMBOURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Alphabet unit Google on Tuesday mentioned offers with Android cellphone makers that landed it a file 4.3-billion-euro ($5 billion) antitrust high-quality boosted competitors and rejected EU prices they have been a carrot-and-stick tactic that stifled rivals.

Google was addressing the second day of a week-long listening to because it tries to get Europe’s second-highest courtroom to annul the high-quality and a European Fee order to make it loosen its search engine grip on Android units.

Legal professionals for Google and the EU competitors government clashed over the corporate’s Cellular Utility Distribution Agreements (MADAs) that require cellphone makers (OEMs) to pre-install the Google Search app and Chrome browser app in return for licensing Google Play totally free.

“This licensing mannequin is what attracted OEMs to the Android platform, and what enabled these OEMs to supply a constant and high-quality person expertise on the lowest doable value,” Google’s lawyer Alfonso Lamadrid advised the Common Court docket.

“Folks use Google as a result of they select to, not as a result of they’re compelled to,” he mentioned.

Fee lawyer Carlos Urraca Caviedes rejected the argument, calling the offers and different restrictions Google’s carrot-and-stick coverage in direction of cellphone makers.

“These helped Google ensured its rivals wouldn’t obtain crucial mass to problem its dominance,” he advised the courtroom.

He additionally mentioned such offers have been pointless in view of the market energy of Google, the world’s hottest web search engine, and its vital variety of customers.

Urraca Caviedes mentioned what Google did “goes past what is critical to develop and keep the Android platform”.

A verdict might come subsequent 12 months. The case is T-604/18 Google vs European Fee.

($1 = 0.8537 euros)

Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; modifying by Barbara Lewis

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