The Court’s Skepticism
Despite Unlockd’s claims, U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. dismissed the case with prejudice in February, determining that being ousted from Google’s ecosystem alone was not enough to prove antitrust harm.
“In short, plaintiff still offers nothing more than its repeated assertion that it was an innovative business and would have been a threat to Google in the digital advertising market absent Google’s alleged conduct,” Gilliam wrote. “Such unsupported conclusions are simply insufficient to allege antitrust injury.”
With the case now heading to the Ninth Circuit, Unlockd is hoping to convince appellate judges that Google’s actions constituted monopolistic sabotage rather than simple policy enforcement.
A Curious Twist: Google’s Investment in a Rival
Adding fuel to the fire, Unlockd’s suit highlights a suspiciously timed move by Google. Not long after allegedly shutting down Unlockd, Google invested in a similar platform, Glance, which also monetizes the unlock screen experience. Unlockd argues this raises serious questions about Google’s true motives.
At the time of the lawsuit, Glance was preparing for a U.S. launch with Google’s backing, a fact Unlockd points to as evidence of foul play.
