Google must face Sensory's antitrust claims over Android wake-word, v…

A US federal court in Washington DC has allowed Sensory's antitrust claims against Google to proceed on narrower grounds, specifically regarding wake-word technology, voice-assistant technology, and voice-recognition software on Android devices. The court dismissed broader claims involving general search and search advertising, finding Sensory lacked standing in those markets, but held that Sensory had plausibly alleged injury in Android voice-technology markets where Google allegedly used distribution agreements to foreclose competing wake words and voice assistants. Google's grip on voice-assistant defaults on Android just became legally contestable; if Sensory wins, device makers will be able to ship competing voice assistants and wake words as defaults, which means your voice product has a legal route to market share that didn't exist two months ago.