Google Beats Unfair Competition Claim in Smartwatch Tech Case

Google has dodged unfair competition claims in a San Francisco federal court over its alleged scheme to stall Snapkeys Ltd. with preliminary talks while hammering out a deal with a rival of the smartwatch technology maker.

Because California’s Unfair Competition Law imposes liability only for “incipient” antitrust violations, Snapkeys had to “allege harm to the market as a whole,” but it “offers only conclusory allegations” about injuries to companies other than itself, despite being given multiple chances, Judge Lucy H. Koh wrote.

She dismissed the UCL claim with prejudice, saying there would be no fourth amended complaint. But the lawsuit ...