Murdoch-backed adtech startup Unlockd ditches Google lawsuit: That'll be £200k, ta very much

A Murdoch-backed adtech startup that sued Google for anticompetitive behaviour has abandoned its lawsuit – and been landed with a £200,000 legal bill for its troubles. Unlockd sued Google after its business model was thrown into jeopardy by the adtech giant. That model was simple: if you installed its app, every time you …

[Anonymous Coward]

An anti-competitive lawsuit from the Murdoch clan, whatever ever next, socialist policies from Trump ?

[macjules]

Could have been worse

He might have tried to sell MySpace to Google.

[Mark 85]

What's next? Flying pigs. Cats and dogs living together. Mass hysteria I tell you.

[John Brown (no body)]

"What's next? Flying pigs. Cats and dogs living together. Mass hysteria I tell you."

Maybe it's one of the signs of the upcoming apocalypse? I saw a BMW driver using his indicator the other day. Admittedly the car was indicating left while driving down the slip-road to join the motorway so should have been indicating right. But still, it was a disturbing moment!

[Derezed]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Loyal Commenter]

Oh dear, how sad, never mind...

[ratfox]

Apparently being backed by Murdoch doesn't mean much these days. I suppose divorces are expensive...

[Youngone]

Inherited Wealth is the best kind

I'm just hoping this is a trend for James Murdoch and he winds up living under a motorway overpass.

Not much chance of that happening, I know, but I can dream can't I?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, this really is breaking news!

Google actually removed an app for breaking developer policies???

(I guess that only happens to apps that compete with Google.)

[Blockchain commentard]

How did Unlockd think they'd do in court if someone needed to dial the emergency services but died whilst waiting for the adverts to finish after unlocking their phone?

[Caltharian]

Most phones can dial emergency services while locked

[9Rune5]

Most phones

Most phones do not have the adware in question installed. So... What happens when your phone gets infected with this shite?

[sabroni]

re: What happens when your phone gets infected with this shite?

The ability to make emergency calls from the lock screen isn't compromised because this app runs after you unlock. Sorry, this shite runs after you unlock. So edgy!!!

(installing an app from google play counts as getting infected now?)

[Anonymous Coward]

Back of the line, Google. You might end up with 1/200,000th of £1.

[EveryTime]

This pretty much confirms that the company wasn't adequately capitalized. The investors set things up so that the company would be funded incrementally. They only had enough money to start a lawsuit, but wouldn't have any money if things didn't look promising.

I might be more understanding in other circumstances, especially with a self-funded startup that had a case. But this company marketed their Murdoch backing when it was to their advantage, and filed a lawsuit for leverage rather than for justice.