Six questions you were afraid to ask about Google’s EU antitrust case
July 19, 2018
- What exactly did Google do wrong here? The European Commission has ruled that Google has been unfairly using Android (which Google owns and develops) to push Google Search (which makes up most of Google’s business) on users, giving them an unfair and uncompetitive advantage.
- Why doesn’t this apply to Apple? The European Commission’s report says that it views Android as different from, say, Apple’s iOS or BlackBerry’s mostly-defunct BlackBerry OS since those are exclusive, vertically integrated operating systems that can’t be licensed by third-party device manufacturers.
- Can’t you install anything on Android? Why is the Play Store so important? Strictly speaking, yes But according to the Commission, the Play Store is too important for Android devices.
- If Search is the problem, why is Chrome included? Chrome is an essential avenue to Google Search, so Chrome is bundled into the ruling, too.
- What do other companies think? For the most part, nothing.
- What happens next? Google has 90 days to comply with the European Commission, which would mean paying the $5 billion fine, stop forcing manufacturers to preinstall Chrome and Google Search in order to offer the Google Play Store, and stop preventing phone makers from using forked versions of Android.
Six questions you were afraid to ask about Google’s EU antitrust case