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Antitrust: Commission fines Google €4.34 billion for illegal practices regarding Android mobile devices to strengthen dominance of Google's search engine
| In particular, Google:
>has required manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search app and browser app (Chrome), as a condition for licensing Google's app store (the Play Store);
>made payments to certain large manufacturers and mobile network operators on condition that they exclusively pre-installed the Google Search app on their devices; and
>has prevented manufacturers wishing to pre-install Google apps from selling even a smart mobile device running on unofficial forks...
| I didn't expect that, but yet I'm somehow not surprised.
| Google obtains the vast majority of its revenues via its flagship product, the Google search engine. The company understood early on that the shift from desktop PCs to mobile internet, which started in the mid-2000s, would be a fundamental change for Google Search. So, Google developed a strategy to anticipate the effects of this shift, and to make sure that users would continue to use Google Search also on their mobile devices....
| Market dominance is, as such, not illegal under EU antitrust rules. However, dominant companies have a special responsibility not to abuse their powerful market position by restricting competition, either in the market where they are dominant or in separate markets.
Google has engaged in three separate types of practices, which all had the aim of cementing Google's dominant position in general internet search.... I'm trying my best to summarise this. Google deserves the worst.
| ) Illegal tying of Google's search and browser apps
2) Illegal payments conditional on exclusive pre-installation of Google Search
3) Illegal obstruction of development and distribution of competing Android operating systems
Source: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-4581_en.htm
It's better if you read the source above. It's a interesting article about how google abuses Gapps framework.
| If I'm still getting Facebook ads and Mark is still scot-free, then nothing's going to come out of this.
| good
| Folks usually hates EU but from time to time they do some good deeds such as this one.
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| The European Commission has fined Google €4.34 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules. Since 2011, Google has imposed illegal restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators to cement its dominant position in general internet search.
That's because Google Search is set as the default search engine on Apple devices and Apple users are therefore likely to continue using Google Search for their queries....