Google is facing renewed scrutiny on two legal fronts, with a US$135 million Android data settlement nearing final approval in the US, while the company fights damages claims in the UK over its shopping search business.

In California, a US federal judge is weighing final approval of a class action settlement brought by Android users who alleged Google transferred data from their phones to its servers without their knowledge, including when devices were idle and apps were closed.

The case claimed the transfers used consumers’ cellular data without compensation. Google has denied wrongdoing, arguing the practices were standard industry operations that helped keep Android services running safely.

The proposed settlement covers US Android users who accessed the internet on Android devices from November 2017, until the final approval order, excluding members of a related California case.

More than 130 million notices were reportedly sent to potential class members. However, individual payouts are expected to be small, with lawyers suggesting payments could be around US$1, depending on claim numbers.

As part of the settlement, Google must provide clearer disclosures to Android users, including warnings that system services may require internet connectivity and could use mobile data even when a device is not being actively used.

At the same time, Google is defending itself in a London antitrust trial brought by comparison-shopping companies Kelkoo, Foundem and Ciao.

The companies claim Google used its search engine to steer traffic toward its own shopping service while pushing rivals down search results. The case follows the European Commission’s 2017 decision to fine Google €2.42 billion over shopping search practices.

Google told the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal it had addressed the regulator’s concerns by opening its shopping ad box to rival comparison-shopping services, allowing them to bid for placement alongside Google’s own offering.

Rivals argue the remedy merely forced them to pay for visibility while preserving Google’s advantage.

Google says the market had already shifted, with consumers increasingly starting product searches on Amazon and other marketplaces rather than comparison-shopping sites.