Of course, the big difference between Microsoft and Google’s positions is that Chrome is actually a good browser in addition to being the default on Android. Control the ecosystem, control the market Of course, manufacturers are free to not install Google’s apps if they so choose, but doing so means that they won’t be able to offer the Google Play store on their devices, which would make them almost useless to users. In 2016, it was ordered to stop incentivising manufacturers to exclusively offer Google Search, and the following year it was fined $2.7 billion for prioritising its own shopping service in search results. Google has found itself in trouble with the European Commission before. Google may face a similar fate as a result of this ruling. There are similarities here to a ruling Microsoft faced in 2009 when the EU forced the company to offer its users a choice of browsers on Windows 7. Google has said that it does not require device manufacturers to pre-load its apps, and that pre-loading Google Search is what allows it to offer free services. Secondly, although Android is open source, manufacturers are prevented from selling devices powered by software based on its source code.įinally, Google is alleged to give device manufacturers financial incentives to exclusively offer its own search.
Firstly, Google requires Android manufacturers to use its search by default and to pre-install the Chrome browser if they want access to the Play app store.
The fine is primarily the result of three practices that have been deemed to be anti-competitive ( via the BBC). The EU’s European Commission has hit Google with an eye-watering €4.3 billion (around £3.8 billion) fine over what it claims are unfair business practices.
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