Why Google's got big problems in Europe

Google has run afoul of the European Union, with regulators accusing the company of antitrust violations. Although consumers won't see any changes for a long time, if at all, the allegations target two of the biggest parts of Google's business: its search engine and Android operating system. Google has 10 weeks to respond to the findings and could settle the allegations with European officials. Ultimately, it may have to "change the way it does business in Europe,” said Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s competition commissioner.

Separately, the EU's antitrust chief announced the opening of a formal investigation into the company's Android operating system, which is the No. 1 mobile device OS in the world. The investigation will look at whether Google illegally hindered the development of rival software and products by requiring or providing incentives for device makers to exclusively pre-install Google’s own applications or services. Regulators also will look at whether Google used its dominance to prevent manufacturers who want to install company products on their devices from developing competing versions of Android.