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European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

europa.eu

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Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#231

Post by cageface »

vivan wrote: post #2

Can anyone concisely explain what this fine is for, and also why the same wouldn't apply to Apple for iOS? It seems to be a rehash of the issue that Microsoft faced when it only gave you Internet Explorer on install. But iOS comes with only Safari on install, and forces you to use Apple's various apps - how is this any different?

Apple defenders will dismiss market share when comparing Android and iOS and claim that share of profits is all that counts. But they're happy to use market share to justify sanctions against Google. You can't have it both ways folks.

The fact is that Apple controls enough of the users that everybody wants that they have at least as much influence as Google does in mobile. That they've chosen to protect their fat profit margins and accumulate the largest pile of corporate cash in history while ignoring customers that can't afford premium devices should not insulate them from similar scrutiny.

If the EU wants to preserve any credibility on these issues they should take a hard look at Apple's refusal to allow other browser engines on iOS.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#232

Post by ginko »

cncrnd wrote: post #193
mrpopo wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Show me the evidence that Google was warned about this practice and refused to stop for a long time. In the article : "Google, which can appeal any decision, has rejected the EU’s case since the bloc issued formal charges over two years ago."

This is not evidence, charges were issued years ago based on past behavior. Until there is a decision made, why should Google change it's behavior? My view on this situation is that regulators should decide if such bundling is allowed on a case by case basis. Then, the ruling is 'We have made a decision. You get X fine if you do not comply.' Rather than, 'We prosecutors think you are not complying' followed by 'Yep y…

So, if you're caught parking in a handicapped spot, do you also expect a note asking you nicely to stop doing that in the future before getting a fine?

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#233

Post by JustSomeNobody »

sqdbps wrote: post #221
r_singh wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this. Anyone who has tried to compile a forked version of AOSP knows that Google makes it extremely hard to do so. Android being an open source OS is nowhere near as easy to install as a regular linux open source OS. I've been trying to get my own android / androidTV box working on popular hardware like rPi and other Amlogic, Allwinner, Mali based boards without much success. Even devices manufacturers hav…

Tell that to Amazon and their Fire devices and to all the Android forks in China.

Are you saying that simply because a multi-billion dollar company with top engineering talent is able to compile a version of Android that this disprove the comment you're replying to?

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#234

Post by cabalamat »

If the EU don't want Google or other mobile phone OS providers to do competition-fixing and other shenanigans, they could create their own European mobile phone operating system.

They should probably do this anyway, since control of computing platforms and user data within them is fast becoming a major factor both in geopolitics and in business.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#235

Post by realusername »

cncrnd wrote: post #120
ckastner wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It looks like the EU has created a piggy bank with these regulations on hostage tech corporation Or is it the tech corporations holding consumers hostage, and are regulators trying to fight that.

How is Google holding consumers hostage and not Apple? Honestly, for the value that Android gives phone manufacturers I am surprised that Google's requirements were so low. Android gave the phone manufacturers a platform and asked for little in return.

Because Apple isn't 80% market share.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#236

Post by eeZah7Ux »

bwb wrote: post #61

This one frustrated me to read, i think they should have gotten involved sooner and worked with google. Instead they slap a crazy high fee for something that is vague in violation. It does feel a bit like a vendetta here by the EU.

"crazy high fee"?

Fining Google 4 billions after they forced all sort of lock-in strategies on the users for a decade is less than a slap on the wrists.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#237

Post by ChildOfChaos »

I get the EU is upset that google is usually android to push google search, but that’s the entire reason android exists in the first place, the same with chrome. So why suddenly now? And what is google supposed to do about it?

I don’t see how this isn’t a fair business practice, google has invested heavily into the android system for this exact reason.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#238

Post by matt4077 »

repolfx wrote: post #124
sveme wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> EU Commission as judge, jury and executioner The executive fines someone (like you are fined for violating parking regulations), then you can appeal that fine in court, in this case most likely the ECJ. Would you argue that it's wrong to address a coporation's wrongdoings? EU companies are fined regularly as well, might not create such an upheaval in the US media, though.

If the government believes people have broken the law, in a democracy that means civil servants have to launch a criminal case and win a prosecution. The EU is not structured like that, and thus doesn't have to win any prosecution. Margrethe Vestager just issue a proclamation with a number she and the Commission picked out of the air, and the deed is done.

First: this is a civil law fine. In the E.U., companies are not subject to criminal law, only individuals are. It’s not much different in the US, where antitrust actions are also civil.

Second: Google can appeal in court. It’s exactly the same as it is in the US.

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#239

Post by davb »

theBobBob wrote: post #103

Very slightly off topic but I actually think how Android handles default apps is the best of both worlds. It comes with very very good default Google Apps that work well together but it is very easy to switch out whatever you want for an alternative. How iOS handles it is the opposite. For their default apps they either straight out not allow competitors, severely limit what their competitors or (if I remember correc…

I've noticed that on iOS, Google can be quite pushy with regards to their apps. No matter how many times I click "don't ask me again", Hangouts always asks if I want to install Chrome whenever I try to open a web link (in Safari). And I get constant nags on Gmail web to install Gmail on my iPhone to "get the full experience" (as opposed to using the bundled iOS Mail app).

Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case

#240

Post by jdietrich »

repolfx wrote: post #124
sveme wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> EU Commission as judge, jury and executioner The executive fines someone (like you are fined for violating parking regulations), then you can appeal that fine in court, in this case most likely the ECJ. Would you argue that it's wrong to address a coporation's wrongdoings? EU companies are fined regularly as well, might not create such an upheaval in the US media, though.

If the government believes people have broken the law, in a democracy that means civil servants have to launch a criminal case and win a prosecution. The EU is not structured like that, and thus doesn't have to win any prosecution. Margrethe Vestager just issue a proclamation with a number she and the Commission picked out of the air, and the deed is done.

>The EU is not structured like that

Neither is the US. Numerous state and federal agencies have the right to directly levy civil penalties. You have the right to challenge those penalties in court, as you do in the EU.

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