Google Files Counterclaim to Match's Antitrust Lawsuit

TECH CRUNCH - The two tech giants have been battling it out in court after Match sued Google this May over its alleged monopoly power in Android app payments. Match is claiming Google has too much control over the Google Play app marketplace and uses anti-competitive tactics to maintain its hold on that ecosystem. Epic Games is also suing both Apple and Google. The companies largely want to offer their own in-app payment systems to avoid the commissions that come with having their apps distributed through the Google Play store and App Store. Now, Google has filed its counterclaim in this ongoing lawsuit, where it argues that Match is misleading the court in saying Google only provides payment processing fees and that Match Group seeks to access the global distribution platform for free. Plus, Google argues that its 15% fee for Match Group subscriptions is "half the amount" other major platforms charge - a reference to Apple, but misleading since both platforms reduce commissions from 30% to 15% in an app's second year.