A federal court has thrown out claims that Google and Apple conspired for nearly 20 years to tilt the search engine industry in their favor. The claims, made by users of both companies in the Northern District of California, were not backed up with enough evidence, a judge said Friday. 

“Plaintiffs make various vague and conclusory allegations as to injury: prices are higher, production is lower, innovation is suppressed, quality is less (in terms of privacy, data protection, and use of consumer data), user choice is reduced, and search results are distorted or steered,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Davila in a 9-page opinion delivered last week. “These claims are insufficient as plead to establish antitrust injury.”