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Google was hit with a record-breaking $2.7 billion fine last month by the European Commission for breaking antitrust laws. The EU says Google demoted rivals and unfairly promoted its own services in search results related to shopping. While the fine is the largest antitrust judgement ever, an even bigger fine could be on the way for Google.
Reuters reports that EU regulators are considering another record-breaking fine for Google over its Android operating system. The European Commission has been investigating Android after rivals complained that Google has been abusing its market dominance. Google has been accused of limiting access to the Google Play Store unless phone makers also bundle Google search and Chrome apps. Google has also reportedly blocked phone makers from creating devices that run forked versions of Android, as part of an anti-fragmentation agreement.
While Reuters suggests the potential Android fine could top the $2.7 billion penalty, a bigger concern for Google will be whether it's forced to dramatically alter Android and unbundle key parts. Android has long been considered as open source software, but Google has slowly been adding key components into its Google Play Services software and associated agreements.
Source: The Verge
(Score: 4, Insightful) by bradley13 on Friday July 07 2017, @02:40PM (1 child)
I understood the previous fine, even if it seemed a bit excessive (shopping comparison services are almost always rackets).
This one, if it happens, seems completely unjustified. Android is (AFAIK) open source. Any company out there is welcome to fork it. If they do, they can include whatever services they want, and attach their own store.
"has also reportedly blocked phone makers from creating devices that run forked versions of Android"
This is not possible.
The question is access to the Play Store. Google defines two kinds of forks [mobiforge.com]: compatible and non-compatible. If you have a compatible fork, Google can be pretty sure that apps downloaded from the Play Store will actually work.
If you have a "compatible" fork, you then have the option of including Google Play Services on your phones. You don't have to use them, but if you do, you get the lot. Google Play Services are not open source.
"The EU competition enforcer said Google's tactics include requiring smartphone makers to pre-install Google Search and the Google Chrome browser in return for access to other Google apps"
This part of TFA is correct. But, again, it has nothing to do with Android itself. It has to do with not allowing competitors to pick and choose amongst Google apps. That is a very different issue, and one that imho has very little justification.
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 2) by Lagg on Friday July 07 2017, @03:27PM
Yeah the EU regulators continue to confuse me. Hell I'm still trying to understand why it was okay that the N1 [imgur.com] was supposedly first party and yet had paid app placement in what one would expect to be a clean install. I had to rezip the update apks every update if I wanted to keep facebook and twitter and all that off. Because system apps are impossible to uninstall. That seems screwy competition wise. (Note: assumption N1 was the same in EU)
Whatever, shouldn't be surprised. Same set of regulators that thought the browser ballot would work I bet. Heh.
Personally I don't think Google is collecting any more or less than they were before. Will say fnord is right in that the system services are bigger, more processes and inter dependencies however.
Anyway, you know who could bring some insight into this? Some copyright lawyers. Heheheuhueh
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿