DuckDuckGo founder says Google's phone and manufacturing partnerships thwart competition

The US Department of Justice argues that Google has smothered competition by paying companies such as Apple and Verizon to lock in its search engine as the default choice – the first one users see – on many laptops and smartphones. — Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP

WASHINGTON: Appearing in the biggest antitrust trial in a quarter century, DuckDuckGo founder Gabriel Weinberg testified Thursday that it was hard for his small search engine company to compete with Google because the powerhouse has deals with phone companies and equipment manufacturers to make its product the default search option on so many devices.

"We hit an obstacle with Google's contracts,'' Weinberg said in US District Court in Washington.