European Union slams Google with search antitrust charges, launches Android investigation - leefolong

The Continent Commission has charged Google with abusing its governing position in Internet search services in EC aside systematically favoring its own comparison shopping product, Google Shopping. It as wel opened an antitrust investigation into Google's Android moving OS.

Such conduct infringes EU antitrust rules because IT stifles competition and harms consumers, the Commission same Wed, adding that it has formally notified Google of the charges in a then-called Statement of Objections. Google today gets a accidental to defend itself ahead the Commission makes a final decision, which could include a okay of leading to 10 percent of the company's yearly employee turnover.

Google responding to the charges with a blog post saying it believes there is thriving contest and conception in Europe's online search market. "We respectfully but strongly disagree with the need to issue a Statement of Objections and look forward to qualification our case over the weeks ahead," Amit Singhal, senior vice president of Google Search wrote.

The determination though was welcomed by complainants Foundem and ICOMP, an industry association representing Google opponents including Microsoft.

Aiming at Humanoid

At the same metre, the Commission also wide-eyed a separate antitrust investigating into Google's mobile operating organization Humanoid. It suspects Google of abusing its dominant position by, among other things, requiring gimmick manufacturers to bundle Google's ain services and applications with the give-source operating organisation.

The Commission has received two complaints concerning Android and will focus on three allegations. First, Google is said to have required that smartphone and tablet manufacturers exclusively pre-installed Google applications happening their devices, which could live anti-competitive as it would prevent rivals from existence flourishing.

Second, Google is suspected of having prevented manufacturers who privation to use Google apps from developing and marketing modified and potentially competitory versions of Android on other devices. This practise would be illegal arsenic it would be forestall competition operating systems from entering the commercialise, the Delegation said.

Google is also suspected of having illegally prevented the achiever of rival apps by bundling its own apps and services on Android devices with other Google applications.

The EU investigation follows proceedings started against Android aside the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the State Federation (FAS Russia) in February afterwards Russian explore company Yandex filed a complaint over Android app bundling.

Google's VP of Engineering, Hiroshi Lockheimer said in a blog post that all Google's married person agreements are voluntary. Android can be secondhand without Google but using Google provides benefits to users, developers and the broader ecosystem, he aforementioned.

Anti-fragmentation agreements ensure that apps work crossways all sorts of different Android devices, He said, adding that Google's app distribution agreements make a point that citizenry draw a good experience when they first turn on their current gimmick.

Offer apps like e-mail to exist pre-installed also lets Android devices compete with Apple, Microsoft and others that also accompany a set of pre-installed apps, atomic number 2 said, adding that Google is looking forward to discuss these issues in more detail with the Commission.

Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who initiated both actions, said it is the Commission's objective to apply Europium antitrust rules to see that companies operating in EEC, wherever they whitethorn be based, do not stifle innovation Beaver State artificially deny European consumers arsenic spacious a choice as possible. In the display case of Google she said she has concerns that the company has given an below the belt advantage to its ain comparison shopping service, in breach of EU antitrust rules.

A years approach

The decisiveness to post Google a Statement of Objections is the next substitute an fair investigation that has been dragging on since November 2010, when the Committee decided to receptive an inquiry.

The first complaint against Google's alleged abuse of grocery dominance was filed in November 2009 by Foundem, which offers a semi-erect seek engine for market categories including flights, computers, appliances and hotels. The ill claimed that Google exploits its overwhelmingly dominant search engine to systematically promote its personal specialized services while demoting or excluding those of its competitors. Foundem was later joined by a broad range of other complainants, including Microsoft, Expedia, TripAdvisor and the German Publishers Tie-u.

Google has tried to reconcile the case some times. In February last year, IT proposed to pay equal prominence to rivals' services. The Commission seemed willing to take the deal merely was slammed by Foundem and other companies, which accused the regulatory body of adopting Google's proposal wholesale without openhanded complainants an opportunity to express their views on the settlement.

In the pursuit months, the negative chemical reaction from Google's competitors grew and forced the Commission to revise its plans. In September last yr, the Commission said it wanted more concessions from Google. This was shortly in front Vestager took over from Joaquín Almunia as Competition Commissioner. Since then, Vestager has been lecture all parties again to get an overview of the case. Google has ten weeks to respond to the Statement of Objections and the Deputation said it will with kid gloves consider its comments earlier taking a decision. As to the investigation into Android, no deadline to complete inquiries has been set. As antitrust investigations can vary wildly in complexness and scope the Commission does non have to set a time frame in which it has to complete an investigating.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/426913/european-union-slams-google-with-search-antitrust-charges-launches-android-investigation.html

Posted by: leefolong.blogspot.com

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