Cisco Philippines unveils innovations for ‘inclusive’ hybrid work

June 24, 2021 | 12:04 am

CISCO Philippines announced Wednesday the new features added to its communication and collaboration tool Webex, aimed at making the hybrid work and events more “inclusive.”

“At the core of what we do at Cisco is our drive to deliver innovations in technology that can create pathways to economic prosperity for all, continue to connect the unconnected, and bring the ecosystem around our business along with us to a future that is inclusive, where no one is left behind,” Cisco Philippines Managing Director Karrie C. Ilagan said at a virtual briefing.

“We are bringing innovations to our portfolio with that in mind, and with Webex Suite, everyone has a seat at the table, everyone’s voice can be heard, and it’s a platform where discussions are made equitable,” she added.

Cisco said it expects 98% of future meetings to include at least one remote participant. The transition necessitates companies or organizations to invest in more than just a traditional meeting room.

The hybrid work and events setup, Cisco noted, is already at work in the country. The Health department alone has conducted 17,400 sessions via Webex over the past year, amounting to more than 2.3 million minutes of meetings and consultations, the technology company reported.

Among the latest advancements added to Webex include “Increased Value,” which combines meetings, calling, messaging, polling and events in one offering.

Another feature is the “End-to-End Events,” a complete events execution and management platform.

Cisco also added new audience interaction tools such as polling, quizzes, and Q&A.

Webex users will have the new ability of speech optimization “for remote and shared workspaces through My Voice Only to eliminate background noise, including speech from people in the background, and solely focus on the main speaker’s speech,” the company said.

My Voice Only will be available worldwide in August this year. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Wine and ride sales

June 24, 2021 | 12:03 am

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We’ve figured out just how to do greet the first week of July: get a few bottles of wine, then order a feast through Grab. This is all thanks to the Winery.ph Mid-Year Clearance Sale (June 30 to July 3) and the Grab Manyversary Anything and Everything Sale (June 21 to July 4).

WINERY.PH
This year, the online wine marketplace’s sale features 19 Great Deals, ranging from 34% off to 57% off. The discounts slash bottles priced at above P3,000 to a much more affordable P600 (and there are better deals out there, with some wines coming in at P266). The sale will run for four days only, from June 30 to July 3. A release from the brand says that the sale comes at a time when “the economy begins to open up and importers’ warehouses need to clear up space to make way for new shipments.”

Winery.ph’s Mid-year Clearance Sale is showcasing five value-for-money red wines from France (Richebaron Selection Rouge), Portugal (Haribon Red), Spain (Torre Solar Tempranillo Syrah and Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja Tempranillo), and Australia (Peter Lehmann Art & Soul Shiraz Grenache). On the more premium end of the spectrum are five quality wines from Spain (Raig de Raim Red, Nuestra Señora Portal, and Sa Natura Organic Red), France (M. Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage Petite Ruche), and from Italy (Piccini Memoro Rosso). The sale also features one high-end Rioja from Spain (Ramon Bilbao Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo).

In the White Wine category, the sale features value-for-money wines from Portugal (Guadalupe White) and France (Richebaron Selection Blanc); quality wines from Spain (Raig de Raim White and Nuestra Señora Portal Blanc) and from the King Valley Region of Australia (Chrismont La Zona Pinot Grigio); and one high-end wine from Italy (Livio Felluga Sharis Blanc).

For more information, visit www.winery.ph and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

GRAB
Grab celebrates its ninth anniversary in the Philippines with a two-week Manyversary: The Anything and Everything Sale, running from June 21 to July 4. The sale offers consumers discounts of up to 70% across Grab’s wide range of services.

“Through the Manyversary campaign, Filipinos are able to get more value out of their regular activities,” said the brand in a statement.

From June 21, Grab users will be able to enjoy big savings with these week-long deals. On GrabMart, it offers Unlimited free delivery, up to P300 off, and 20% off bestsellers on GrabMart. Paying through GrabPay during the promo period gives the user the following benefits: 50% off GrabExpress Pabili, with a P9 flat fare, 20% cashback on Bills Payment transactions, and up to P300 off Lazada purchases when using a GrabPay Card. GrabCar offers 10% off the next ride, with no minimum fare; and up to 50% off an order on GrabFood. Finally, GrabExpress will offer 20% off deliveries — all terms and conditions applying, of course.

Check the app regularly for week-long deals, daily flash sales, and prizes available until July 4.

Monde Nissin amends rules to align with corporation code

June 24, 2021 | 12:03 am

MONDE Nissin Corp. on Wednesday said its board of directors had approved the amendments of the company’s by-laws, which are still subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“The amendments are intended to further align the By-Laws with the Revised Corporation Code and the best practices of corporate governance,” the company disclosed to the exchange.

It now includes an article on the regular meetings of the company’s board, which will be held quarterly.

Meanwhile, the compensation and fees of directors will now be in accordance with Section 29 of the Code instead of a board resolution. It provides that the stockholders representing at least a majority of the company’s outstanding capital stock or the majority of the members should grant and approve the compensation at a regular or special meeting.

“The Board’s Corporate Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee shall have the responsibility of recommending such fees and other compensation of Directors,” the amendment states.

Meanwhile, the company’s executive committee must have three to five members chosen by the board of directors. The majority of the executive committee must also be board members.

The amendments also include changing the annual or regular meeting of the stockholders every fourth Tuesday of November. The stock and transfer book is also proposed to be closed at least 28 days for regular meetings and 21 days for special meetings before the scheduled date of the meeting.

Monde Nissin shares at the stock exchange went up by 1.10%, closing at P14.74 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Demand for finance apps climbs

June 24, 2021 | 12:03 am

MORE Filipinos installed finance apps, specifically digital banking platforms, in the first three months of 2021, following firms’ heightened marketing to gain more users, a study showed.

Non-organic installs (NOI) of finance apps increased by 20.2% in the country during the first quarter, higher than the 9.6% growth in the same period of 2020, based on a study conducted by California-based mobile marketing analytics AppsFlyer released on Tuesday. NOI refers to app downloads attributed to engagement with advertisements of a platform versus direct or organic installs.

AppFlyer said this higher NOI growth rate was on the back of firms’ 106% increase in spending for marketing to attract users. This was the second fastest growth in the region next to Indonesia (180%) and was followed by Thailand (92%) and Vietnam (48%).

For the Philippines, more than two thirds (69%) of finance app installations were digital banking platforms. This was followed by downloads of apps related to loans (22%), investments (6.3%), traditional banking (1.5%) and other financial services (0.8%).

However, downloads of loan apps declined as the number of lending apps dropped by 20% in the first quarter from a year earlier.

“The fintech sector has radically adapted to the changing environment and accelerated digital transformation, especially in developing markets where many are unbanked or underbanked,” Ronen Mense, managing director and president, Asia-Pacific, AppsFlyer, was quoted as saying.

“As more users shifted to their mobile devices, financial institutions followed suit, enabling consumers to function through their devices,” he added.

Meanwhile, the study also showed that Southeast Asia’s app fraud rates remained high, even as this declined by 20% from a year ago.

Fraud associated with digital bank apps increased by 16% in Southeast Asia, a point of concern for the Philippines where downloads of such platforms have climbed, AppsFlyer said.

On the other hand, fraud in loan apps fell by 33% in the first quarter.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last year released a framework which sets apart digital banks from traditional lenders. Digital banks provide their services, including deposits and loans, through online platforms, versus offering them in branches like traditional lenders do. — L.W.T. Noble

Hotel News (06/24/21)

June 24, 2021 | 12:02 am

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Father’s Day may be over but the celebration continues at The Pen

FATHER’S Day may have wrapped up a few days ago, but it doesn’t mean the celebrations can’t continue. The Peninsula Manila continues to spoil dad throughout June with a relaxing staycation package. The DND (Do Not Disturb): Dad’s Resting package is a relaxing overnight stay that includes five-star accommodations in a guest room or suite with amenities guaranteed to rejuvenate and restore. His day starts with a set breakfast for two at The Lobby (and two Father’s Day gin & tonics later in the day) setting the tone. Afterwards, he can go for laps at the outdoor pool and have a supervised workout at the Peninsula Fitness Center, capped off with a complimentary Lobby dinner when accompanied by a paying companion. The staycation includes a gift of time — Peninsula Time, that is, a unique check-in/check-out experience that makes a day at The Pen last longer than 24 hours. With Peninsula Time, by prior arrangement, the guest may check in and out at any hour of the day or night for no additional fee. When he books a room or suite, it is his for one night — even if he checks in at 8 a.m. on Day 1 and check out at 10 p.m. on Day 2. The package rates start at P8,500 for a Deluxe Room, inclusive of taxes. For details on the room package, call 8887-2888 (trunk line), extension 6630 (Room Reservations), e-mail reservationpmn@peninsula.com, visit peninsula.com, or contact the hotel through PenChat, a 24-hour e-concierge (https://bit.ly/PenChatFacebook).

Park Inn by Radisson Clark opens new South Wing

PARK Inn by Radisson Clark has opened its all-new South Wing, adding more accommodation options for domestic and international guests in an up-and-coming destination. This multiple-use hotel has increased its inventory by 65% with the addition of 100 new rooms and suites, in line with a projected rise in passenger traffic at Clark International Airport, which is located just 10 minutes’ drive away. Housed within the newly constructed South Wing are 95 Superior Rooms, all of which feature comfortable bedding, working desks, mini-bars, sensor-activated air-conditioning, in-room technology such as IPTVs, bedside USB ports and complimentary Wi-Fi, and modern bathrooms with standalone rain showers. Five additional Suites will also offer Nespresso machines and separate living areas. All business guests will be able to use the hotel’s outdoor pool, fitness center, HUES all-day restaurant, lobby lounge and “grab & go” snack zone. Three meeting rooms are available for corporate guests, and those looking forward to retail therapy have access to the SM City Clark shopping mall, which is located next door. The existing 154-key North Wing will continue to accommodate Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs). The hotel has been SGS certified and adheres strictly to the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, and quarantining guests will not be able to access the hotel’s public areas and facilities. This multiple-use flexibility will provide greater options for guests, support the nationwide COVID-19 strategy, and drive additional benefits to its owners.

AbaCore Capital sees future growth in Batangas

June 24, 2021 | 12:02 am

ABACORE Capital Holdings, Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary Philippine Regional Investment Development Corp. (PRIDE) is expecting further growth as its businesses move its operations to Batangas.

“AbaCore, PRIDE, and all its affiliates are in the best position to strategically take advantage of the opportunities presented with the development and growth of the Province of Batangas as the next Metro hub in the CALABARZON area,” AbaCore said in a statement on Wednesday.

PRIDE’s wholly owned units, Adroit Realty Corp. and San Isidro Catholic Memorial Park Development Corp. are said to be completing sales worth at least P958-million gross in the first six months of 2021.

AbaCore said the properties form part of its energy hub project in Simlong, Batangas.

Adroit and San Isidro are “transacting” their seafront properties along Batangas Bay.

“Upon consummation, PRIDE and affiliates expect Adroit and San Isidro to generate P728 million of net profit to PRIDE and affiliates’ bottom line, in addition to booked income of P100 million in the sale of marketable securities,” the company said.

PRIDE also expects to earn from its partnership with SquidPay Technology, Inc. to convert and run its PhilStar Development Bank to a digital bank, which will be based in Batangas.

AbaCore pointed to the government’s Build, Build, Build program, saying that it spurred growth in the industrial and tourism industries in the province.

“This has led to locators investing in Batangas real properties in anticipation of capital gain considering the relative value properties in Batangas have over its Metro Manila counterparts,” the company said.

On Wednesday, shares of AbaCore at the local bourse closed unchanged at P1.13 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Zuellig Pharma says SAP increased its order processing

June 24, 2021 | 12:02 am

HEALTHCARE services provider Zuellig Pharma said Monday its digital transformation through software company SAP SE has resulted in an increase of approximately 100,000 sales orders processed daily.

Daniel Laverick, head of SAP & IT Solutions Zuellig Pharma, said in a statement: “Even before the pandemic, we saw the importance of driving efficiencies so that we could grow, operate and support larger scale and more complex healthcare supply chains.”

“With this in mind, we embarked on a digital transformation journey with SAP and were able to quickly activate our technologies to address the spike in customer orders from countries like Thailand when the pandemic hit,” he added.

“This agility and speed of our sales order processing accounted for an increase of approximately 100,000 sales orders processed daily.”

With SAP, Zuellig Pharma has deployed over 60 automations across various markets, the official noted.

Zuellig Pharma is the company behind eZVax, a vaccine management solution for vaccine distribution and administration.

The system features its proprietary eZTracker solution, which is also built on SAP blockchain technology, “to address the issue of counterfeit medical products in the healthcare supply chain.”

SAP said “77% of the world’s transaction revenue” touches its system.

“Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises,” it added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Term deposit yields inch lower

June 24, 2021 | 12:02 am

YIELDS ON term deposits slipped on Wednesday ahead of the central bank’s policy review, where it is widely expected to keep rates steady to support economic recovery.

Demand for the term deposit facility of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hit P645.342 billion on Wednesday, higher than the P520 billion auctioned off but failing to beat the P655.826 billion in tenders logged last week.

Broken down, tenders for the seven-day papers reached P220.938 billion, going beyond the P140-billion offering and also higher than the P212.281 billion seen in the previous auction.

Accepted rates for the tenor ranged from 1.7% to 1.75%, a narrower range compared with the 1.7% to 1.7999% band seen a week ago. This caused the average rate for the one-week deposits to drop by 0.88 basis point (bp) to 1.7376% from the 1.7464% quoted on June 16.

Meanwhile, the 14-day papers attracted bids worth P424.404 billion, surpassing the P380 billion on the auction block but lower than the P443.545 billion in tenders last week.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 1.75% to 1.8499%, a slimmer band versus the 1.7125% to 1.85% logged in last week’s auction. As a result, the average rate of the two-week papers slipped by 0.33 bp to 1.8085% from 1.8118% previously.

For the 35^th straight week, the BSP did not offer 28-day term deposits to give way to its weekly offerings of bills with the same tenor.

The BSP uses the term deposits and the short-term bills to mop up excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market rates.

Rates for the term deposits were lower on Wednesday as the market was looking ahead to the BSP’s policy review on Thursday, where it is widely expected to keep borrowing costs at record lows, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a text message.

The BSP will likely keep benchmark interest rates steady on Thursday to support the “fragile” economic recovery, with inflation improving on the back of government initiatives to ease supply issues, analysts said.

A BusinessWorld poll held last week showed 14 out of 16 analysts expect the central bank to retain its key policy rate at its record low of 2% at the Monetary Board’s fourth policy meeting for this year on June 24.

Analysts said it is crucial for the BSP to retain its accommodative stance in the meantime as the economy’s rebound from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic still has a long way to go.

The BSP slashed benchmark rates by a cumulative 200 bps last year. Borrowing costs have been at record lows since the Monetary Board’s last adjustment, which was a 25-bp cut in November.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno last week said their policy stance will be accommodative “for as long as necessary, until the economic recovery gets underway.”

Mr. Diokno likewise said the central bank has room to counteract any negative impact of the US Federal Reserve’s impending monetary policy tightening to ensure financial stability. — L.W.T. Noble

PHL places 103^rd in 2021 Sustainable Dev’t Ranking, continues to face challenges in achieving these goals by 2030

June 24, 2021 | 12:01 am

Dining In/Out (06/24/21)

June 24, 2021 | 12:01 am

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Diageo Reserve develops spirits cocktail kits

COSMOPOLITAN drinking used to mean heading out after work or during the weekend to a favorite cocktail bar, or a fine dining restaurant. But as the pandemic has everyone staying home, nights out have become few and far between. Diageo Reserve, the luxury portfolio including spirits such as Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, and Ketel One, is bringing some of those elevated drinks home. Diageo Reserve and World Class — which are behind the World Class Bartender of the Year Competition — partner with Boozy.ph to offer the World Class Spirits Cocktail Kits. These specially curated kits come in four variants, all crafted by Diageo Philippines Brand Ambassador Rian Asiddao, and past Diageo Reserve World Class Philippine Bartenders of the Year David Abalayan (2019) and Lester Ligon (2018), to make sure that each kit delivers the most satisfying cocktails. The four kits are: the Johnnie Walker Black Label Highball Collection (P1,399), developed by Asiddao, containing Johnnie Walker Black Label (1 liter), Monin Caramel Syrup, and Sprite, and recipe cards to make three cocktails — a Johnnie & Lime, a Johnnie Caramel Highball, Caramel Whisky Sour; the Johnnie Walker Double Black Highball Collection (P2,099), containing a bottle of Johnnie Walker Double Black (1 liter), Monin Caramel Syrup, and Schweppes Tonic Water and a recipe card for making a Johnnie & Tonic, a Caramel & Tonic Highball, or a Smoky Caramel Old Fashioned; The Tanqueray & Tonic Sunset Kit (P1,099), developed by Abalayan featuring Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Monin Vanilla Syrup, and Schweppes Tonic Water and a recipe card for making a T&T (Tanqueray & Tonic), a Vanilla T&T, and a Tanqueray Vanilla Gimlet; and the Marvelous Ketel One Cocktail Set (P1,399), developed by Lester Ligon featuring Ketel One Vodka, Monin Almond Syrup, and Sprite, plus a recipe card for making a Ketel One Highbal, a Ketel One Almond Caipiroska, and a Black Russian Twist. The World Class Spirits Cocktail Kits, available for a limited time only at Boozy.ph (https://boozy.ph/collections/diageo-world-class-kits).

Jollibee releases new rewards card

JOLLIBEE has just launched its new Joy Rewards loyalty card, which offers exclusive promos aside from earning of points. The Joy Rewards card also lets the user earn points when they purchase food from participating stores of other brands like Chowking, Greenwich, Mang Inasal, and Red Ribbon. Every P50 spent earns a point that, when collected, can be used to purchase more food. Earn points as well when loading gas at participating Caltex stations. New members are entitled to a welcome gift of a free Jolly Spaghetti with a minimum purchase of P300 using the card upon card registration. Customers can use the Joy Rewards card for cashless transactions — they can top-up their cards at Jollibee stores and use it to pay for their food purchases for dine-in, take-out, drive-through transactions. The new Joy Rewards Cards is available in all participating Jollibee stores for P100. The customer can register for the card in two ways — via the website at www.happyplus.com.ph or via SMS.

Spam unveils food truck

THE SPAM Food Truck is back making the rounds, this time with a new menu that takes classic comfort food recipes to another level. Those who regularly visit Capitol Commons, Ortigas East, and Greenhills will soon have a taste of the Spam Rice Ball — a five-ingredient, three-step Spam Classic recipe — along with the Spam Creamy Spicy Musubi, Spam Cheeseburger, Spam Salpicao, Spamdesal Queso Blanco, Spam Takoyaki Bao, and an off-menu dish — Spam Kimchi Bao. The Spam brand collaborated with chef RJ Ramos, co-owner of neo-Filipino bistro Lampara, on the dishes, which are made with Spam Classic, Spam Lite, and Spam Less Sodium. Filipinos first got a sneak peek at one of the Spam Comfort Food menu items when the #SPAMRiceBallChallenge launched earlier this month on social media. Mall goers, grocery shoppers, and passerbys got a taste of the reinvented dishes from the comfort food-themed Spam Food Truck in ArcoVia from June 17-20. The Spam Food Truck will be coming to Capitol Commons from June 25-27, Ortigas East from July 2-4, and Greenhills from July 9-11.

‘Frozen Weekends’ at Robinsons Place Manila

ROBINSONS Place Manila is the place to chill with its Frozen Weekends until July 4. Done in partnership with Manila City Bureau’s Manila Restaurant Week, mall patrons can look forward to chilled food and beverages such as ice creams, gelatos, frappes, popular coolers from Tiger Sugar and Coffee Bean, and frozen ready-to-cook meats. Mall restaurants like Max’s, SNR, Mesa, Gerry’s Grill, Cabalen, Manam, Ramen Nagi, Yellow Cab, Pancake House, Chowking and Bonchon are on board too, with their latest promo and store offerings. Plus, Robinsons Place Manila has a sweet treat on June 26-27 and July 3-4: with a minimum purchase of P1,000, shoppers can avail of a free ice cream.

Red Ribbon opens online store and ReGALO e-Gift Card

RED Ribbon has two new ordering services: its new online store and new ReGALO e-gift cards. Through the new Red Ribbon Online Store redribbononline.com, customers can: order cakes and pastries from home for either delivery or pick-up on the same day or up to seven days in advance (delivery services are available in select stores in Metro Manila, Montalban, Canlubang, Imus, Silang, Trece Martires, Baliuag, Olongapo City, Cebu City, and Davao City, but ordering for pick-up is available in all stores nationwide); go cashless as the online store accepts online payment via Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and PayMaya; and exclusive deal. Meanwhile, the new Red Ribbon ReGALO eGift Card is an electronic gift card that is redeemable in all Red Ribbon stores nationwide. The eGift – which is available both in the Online Store and in Messenger — comes in the form of a redeemable code through SMS and/or e-mail which can be forwarded to one’s chosen recipient. When ordering through Messenger, one also has the option to customize each purchase by choosing from any of the design templates and by adding personalized message. The Red Ribbon eGift cards now come with a special discount. Get up to P100 off on all eGift Cards until June 30. Redemption of these discounted e-Gift Cards will be valid through Sept. 30. Visit redribbononline.com, or chat with RIA on messenger (m.me/redribbonbakeshop) for details. Orders can also be made through the Red Ribbon delivery hotline #87777 or order through Grab Food and Food Panda. For more information and the complete list of Red Ribbon stores, visit https://stores.jfc.com.ph/redribbon.php.

ShopeePay ₱1 Deals on comfort food

TREAT yourself to comfort food and satisfy your cravings with ShopeePay ₱1 Deals. Users can now purchase ShopeePay ₱1 Deals on Shopee and redeem discounts when they pay at Shopee’s partner merchants via in-store QR codes using ShopeePay. To avail of the promo, purchase the discount or cashback voucher on Shopee, pay via QR code in-store, and select which voucher to use before payment confirmation. Check out these ShopeePay ₱1 Deals, which give users a ₱30 discount at the following restaurants for no minimum spend: milk tea from Tiger Sugar, Dark Chocolate Frappe from Coffee Project, fries from Potato Corner, and chicken wings from the Wingman restaurant. For more information and the complete list of ShopeePay ₱1 Deals and partner merchants, including Puregold, Seaoil, Kuya J, and more, visit https://shopee.ph/m/deals-near-me.

Napocor names Ridulme OIC-president

June 24, 2021 | 12:01 am

THE National Power Corp. (Napocor) has named Melchor P. Ridulme as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the government entity who will serve until President Rodrigo R. Duterte nominates a new chief executive officer.

Mr. Ridulme’s designation, which was announced on Wednesday, comes after the passing of Napocor’s former chief Pio J. Benavidez on Tuesday after a heart attack.

Mr. Duterte’s nominee will be formally elected by the board.

Before his appointment, Mr. Ridulme served as Napocor’s vice-president and legal counsel.

“As the OIC-President, Atty. Ridulme is authorized to act on and approve urgent matters concerning the operations of Napocor,” the government corporation said in an e-mailed statement.

The OIC-president has the authority to sign contracts related to procurement of goods and services; approve disbursements of the corporation’s legitimate financial transactions; release funds and approve payroll of employees and personnel; issue office orders and memoranda, and sign promotional appointments of employees, among others.

Mr. Ridulme is the youngest vice-president of the state-led corporation. He chaired Napocor’s anti-red tape and investigative committee and was the country coordinator for the heads of ASEAN power utilities and authorities.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Napocor announced the passing of the company’s former chief.

“Boss Pio, as he is fondly called by everyone, is a tough leader who braves through any challenge while still having the capacity to be compassionate for others. He paved new roads for his people to tread on, he generously shared and taught his knowledge and experience, and has devotedly loved public service since day one in 1974,” the statement read.

Mr. Benavidez helmed Napocor as its president and CEO from April 2017 to June 2021. — Angelica Y. Yang

Google likely to soon face antitrust claims over Play Store from some US states — sources

June 24, 2021 | 12:01 am

Google-mobile-phone — SOLEN FEYISSA-UNSPLASH

WASHINGTON — A group of state attorneys general may file a lawsuit against Alphabet, Inc.’s Google as early as next week, accusing the search and advertising giant of violating antitrust law in running its mobile app store, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The anticipated lawsuit follows complaints from app developers about Google’s management of its Play Store for Android devices, according to one source. The lawsuit has been in the works since last year and has already been delayed, but seems close again, the sources said.

The investigation by the state attorneys general is being led by Utah, Tennessee, North Carolina and New York. It is unclear how many states will participate.

Two sources said the case is likely to be filed in federal court in Northern California, where related cases are being heard. These include a lawsuit that video game maker Epic Games, Inc. filed against Google last year, accusing it of having anti-competitive app store rules. It is expected to go to trial in 2022.

There also are two proposed class-action lawsuits over the Play Store before the same judge. If the states want to participate in depositions and other pre-trial activities, they would have to file fairly soon, one source said.

Apple, Inc. and Epic are awaiting the verdict in a similar California lawsuit after a trial that ended last month.

A Google spokesperson defended their app store as open.

“Android is the only major operating system that allows people to download apps from multiple app stores. In fact, most Android devices ship with two or more app stores preinstalled. They can also install additional app stores or apps directly from their browser if they choose,” the spokesperson said.

Google was originally seen as more open in how it ran its app store than Apple but has tightened rules recently and increased enforcement of those rules.

The lawsuit is expected to focus on Google’s requirement that some apps use the company’s payment tools to sell subscriptions and content and pay Google as much as 30% of sales, according to two sources.

App makers like music streaming service Spotify Technology SA and dating services giant Match Group, which owns the Tinder app, have long accused both Google, as well as Apple, of being anti-competitive in demanding mandatory revenue sharing.

This latest lawsuit is being planned at a time of unusually vigorous debate over whether federal antitrust enforcement is too lax. Many people, including Senator Amy Klobuchar who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee’s antitrust panel, have pressed for tougher enforcement.

Google already faces a federal lawsuit brought by the Justice Department last year and related antitrust cases brought by two separate groups of attorneys general. One is led by Texas and focused on advertising while the other targets Google’s alleged efforts to extend its dominance in search to newer markets, like voice assistants. — Reuters