CEO of Alphabet and Google Sundar Pichai in Warsaw, Poland on March 29, 2022.
Mateusz Wlodarczyk | Nurphoto | Getty Images
The Department of Justice has renewed its give attention to Google Maps, adding to its already-sprawling antitrust investigation into the corporate, Politico and Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
The DOJ is homing in on whether Google illegally bundles its mapping and search products by making app developers use them together, the outlets reported, citing unnamed sources. Politico also reported that the DOJ is looking into how Google packages its maps, app store and voice assistant for automakers through Google Automotive Services.
Reuters reported in March that the department was looking into Google Maps bundling. However the probe has appeared to choose up speed, as Politico and Bloomberg reported the DOJ has been re-interviewing potential witnesses, including competitors and customers, in recent weeks.
A lawsuit could come as soon as this yr, Politico reported, though sources told the outlet no decision has been made on whether to file a case.
DOJ has already filed two antitrust lawsuits against Google: One in 2020 targeting Google’s distribution of its search product, and one last month focused on its internet marketing business.
Google also faces several lawsuits from coalitions of state attorneys general, focused on issues just like those within the DOJ cases in addition to the Google Play mobile app store.
In an announcement, a Google spokesperson said developers are “free to make use of other mapping services along with Google Maps Platform — and plenty of do.”
The spokesperson said Google faces “enormous competition within the connected automotive space” and automakers who use Google’s Android Automotive OS aren’t required to also use its automotive services.
“We at all times cooperate with regulators and are glad to reply any questions they could have about our business,” the spokesperson said.
A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment.
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