Google may face antitrust challenge on Chrome

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-may-face-antitrust-challenge-on-chrome-917260.html

by parenthesis • 18 years ago

11 12 18 years ago

independent.co.uk

vaksel• 18 years ago

good, the last thing we need to do is give Google more power in the internet space

pg• 18 years ago

It would be the final admission of failure for Microsoft to attack competitors on antitrust grounds.

halo• 18 years ago

Dramatic headline with little-to-no information. Sounds like utter scaremongering.

I don't really see how Google can face an antitrust challenge over Chrome: they don't dominate the browser space, they aren't product-tying or doing anything that could be construed as abusive, they don't even force you to use their search engine within Chrome, and the entire source is offered permissively and they've encouraged other vendors to use it in their products. If anything they are /encouraging/ competition in the browser space.

staunch• 18 years ago

I agree. I don't think Google cares much about the browser market itself. They just want to be able to create really great web apps and they're frustrated by how slow the industry has progressed. Every web company will benefit if Chrome accelerates the pace.

I think they'd be perfectly okay with a version of Chrome they don't control becoming the most popular browser. As long as it continued to advance the state of web apps they will have succeeded.

I believe Microsoft has (mostly intentionally) slowed progress in web browser technology so they have time to figure out what the hell to do. Google is trying to break the stalemate. They're probably the only company powerful enough to have a real chance at forcing Microsoft to get off its ass. Firefox has mostly failed at this.

If they do a good job with Chrome it will be the healthiest thing to happen to the internet in many years.

netcan2• 18 years ago

I can't say that I understand the subtleties, but I imagine the case would need to be built on Google's monopoly in the search engine market, not the browser market.

aardvarkious2• 18 years ago

I don't see how they have a monopoly on the search engine market. It is definitely the most popular and probably the best search engine, but there is definitely no limit on other adequate alternatives. A monopoly occurs when a company controls a product or service significantly enough to significantly control the terms people must follow access it. Google hardly does this. Most people might choose them, but they don't need to in order to access a search engine. For example, if tomorrow Google decided to start charging a buck a search, 99.9% of their users would instantly switch search engines with very little ill effects.

YogSothoth• 18 years ago

Three prisoners were sitting in a U.S. jail, found guilty of "economic crimes" and were also comparing stories. The first one said, "I charged higher prices than my competitors, and I was found guilty of profiteering, monopolizing and exploiting consumers." The second one said, "I charged lower prices than my competitors, and I was found guilty of predatory pricing, cutthroat competing and under-charging." The third prisoner said, "I charged the same prices as my competitors, and I was found guilty of collusion, price leadership and cartelization."

Google may face antitrust challenge on Chrome

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