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0 pointstreis7y ago0 comments

>You mean maps? The Maps API is still far cheaper than what you'd have to pay to license and deploy maps from a 3rd party before them.

You mean the API is cheaper now than what other companies offered 13 years ago? That's irrelevant even if it's true.

>Hard to argue that things are worse now...

It's clearly worse. Instead of being able to choose from competing vendors you're effectively stuck with Google and your business depends on their whims.

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ucaetano7y ago

> You mean the API is cheaper now than what other companies offered 13 years ago? That's irrelevant even if it's true.

No, it isn't. How can you prove consumer harm if there's more choice at lower prices?

> Instead of being able to choose from competing vendors you're effectively stuck with Google and your business depends on their whims.

There are plenty of other vendors to choose from. Did you miss all the "we switched from Google Maps to XXX" posts on Hacker News?

treisOP7y ago

>No, it isn't. How can you prove consumer harm if there's more choice at lower prices?

I'm not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse or really don't understand. To be extremely clear, the important comparison would be the market as it is vs a hypothetical one where Google didn't abuse it's position. Comparing now to what was 13 years ago is meaningless in the tech world.

>There are plenty of other vendors to choose from. Did you miss all the "we switched from Google Maps to XXX" posts on Hacker News?

There's really not. At best there's plenty of vendors reselling Open Street Map. And they don't really match Google Maps. Which is why they have a tiny market share compared to Google Maps.

ucaetano7y ago

> To be extremely clear, the important comparison would be the market as it is vs a hypothetical one where Google didn't abuse it's position. Comparing now to what was 13 years ago is meaningless in the tech world.

No, that's not how it works. You can't compare to a random, made up scenario. Go look up antitrust cases...

Seriously, I'm not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse or really don't understand.

> And they don't really match Google Maps.

Your product sucking is not a antitrust issue, it is simply your incompetence.

Asking that Google or Coca-Cola be punished for having a better product isn't only naive, is ignorance.

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ucaetano7y ago

> You mean the API is cheaper now than what other companies offered 13 years ago? That's irrelevant even if it's true.

No, it isn't. How can you prove consumer harm if there's more choice at lower prices?

> Instead of being able to choose from competing vendors you're effectively stuck with Google and your business depends on their whims.

There are plenty of other vendors to choose from. Did you miss all the "we switched from Google Maps to XXX" posts on Hacker News?

treisOP7y ago

>No, it isn't. How can you prove consumer harm if there's more choice at lower prices?

>There are plenty of other vendors to choose from. Did you miss all the "we switched from Google Maps to XXX" posts on Hacker News?

There's really not. At best there's plenty of vendors reselling Open Street Map. And they don't really match Google Maps. Which is why they have a tiny market share compared to Google Maps.

ucaetano7y ago

No, that's not how it works. You can't compare to a random, made up scenario. Go look up antitrust cases...

Seriously, I'm not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse or really don't understand.

> And they don't really match Google Maps.

Your product sucking is not a antitrust issue, it is simply your incompetence.

Asking that Google or Coca-Cola be punished for having a better product isn't only naive, is ignorance.

2 more replies

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse