Brussels takes Android to the grain – Eindhoven Dagblad

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Google has another research of the European Commission pants. Android, Google’s operating system for mobile phones worldwide has a dominant market position and since the Internet giant according to Brussels abuse of it.

The US company thus violating the competition rules, it appears the committee of preliminary findings. This preliminary conclusion does not say anything about the final judgment, stated EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager (Competition) Wednesday, however. If Brussels finds violation, Google can impose a fine of up to 10 percent of annual sales.

Google has restrictions imposed on companies that make phones with Android system, according to the commission. They are for instance required to pre-install the Google browser Chrome and other Google applications on the devices. Also, Google is often the only search engine in such a smartphone.

80 percent

In Europe takes about 80 percent of smartphones and tablets on Android. ,, A competitive mobile Internet industry is becoming increasingly important to consumers and businesses in Europe, ” Vestager said.

Companies should be free to choose which apps they previously put on a device, says the committee. Googles behavior prevents consumers from being able to choose between wide applications, services and innovation by other market participants, thus Vestager. ,, And that’s not good. ”

advantaged Own Products

A year ago, Google has received a formal complaint from the Commission about the way it presents search results. Own products and services would thereby be favored. Brussels is currently analyzing the extensive response from Google.

Google makes in a reaction that take the concerns seriously. ,, But we also believe that our business model down the production cost and increase the flexibility of manufacturers, while it gives consumers unprecedented control over their mobile devices. “” The company will try to convince the European Commission that the Android model just okay for competition and for consumers.

the new research also focuses on Google’s parent company Alphabet.