Google's response to the ruling: https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/andro...
European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
321–330 of 975 posts
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#322IMHO, antitrust fines/penalties should change from amount of money to some other type of penalty, like temporary market exclusion/block or something, otherwise companies like Google and others can simply use its cash (that's was also made due to the unfair advantage), pay the fine and move on to the next market dominance. They will always have cash to pay, even if the fines are higher and higher. They kind of expect…
This makes even more sense with context from Google's deal with Apple to make Google Search the default on iPhones for which it pays $3B. Considering that, $5B doesn't seem to be much of a fine to be literally on the head of most smartphones in the world.
Last I heard, Google didn't actually require Google Search to be the default on Android phones. For a while Microsoft was paying some manufacturers to make Bing the default, and in some cases even requiring them to stop users from changing it.
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#323Earlier quoted context omitted.
I understand that you can look at this in a way that makes it seem like Apple's tight control over iOS is equivalent to Google's tight control over Android, but there are some key differences: a) Android has market share dominances (likely around 75% in Europe in 2018) b) iOS is not made available for other companies to use You could make arguments that iOS behaves unfairly to third party developers and end users, an…
You know that Samsung has their own app store, right? By your explanation that wouldn't be possible because they also ship the Google Play store. But it is. Samsung replace many other apps too. What Google requires is that their services are available, not that others aren't. The different stories people are telling here about why Google is "abusive" don't correlate with the realities of how Android licensing actuall…
Samsung phones are very often dinged in reviews because they ship a confusing mix of Samsung apps that duplicate the functionality of Google apps. I wouldn't be very surprised at all if Samsung would prefer to just ship their Calendar/whatever app, or even entire phones that only contain their apps/services, but they can't make those choices.
Regarding the 75%, please bear in mind that that is across the total market, which covers a very broad range of price points. Apple may have ~25% share, but that is skewed almost entirely to the top end of the market. In the low end of the market, Android would be nearly 100%.
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#324Site is under maintanance, Google Cache link (hahaha): http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:europa.... //edit: oh, took only a minute or two :) nice work I really like this point: > [Google] has prevented manufacturers wishing to pre-install Google apps from selling even a single smart mobile device running on alternative versions of Android that were not approved by Google (so-called "Android forks")…
I agree, if dropped, this will motivate big electronics players to release smart phones powered by android that aren't Google infested.
Sometimes when I'm in a cynical mood, I feel like my android phone isn't really mine, it's owned by google and exists purely to serve them.
This would improve the smartphone market on so many levels. We need a great driver support for AOSP, multiple app stores, community driven updates, so on and so forth to make this new reality.
I also feel like Android could play a huge role in IoT if it weren't as Google infested as you call it.
PS - site is working fine for me.
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#325So, according to the EU, it is illegal to open source OS components (thus allowing anyone to use it without further input from Google as long as the license is followed), but then close source other components and the services that drive them, although they are given out for free, but require specific licensing in the contract to distribute said free closed source components and services on their OEM devices, of whic…
When you've been left out of global growth for decades you get angry and desperate. I imagine the EU continuing down this path
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#326Is this a serious fine, or just a slap on the fingers? Can Google just continue their practices after this?
If a company simply ignores fines, the regulators will assume that they didn't choose high enough fines, since it did not hurt the company enough. They'll schedule another meeting, check whether the company still breaks the rules in the same way and if so impose fines which are a lot more painful. You can expect that to happen way faster and with way less bureaucracy then the initial fine.
> If a company simply ignores fines
it'd be interesting to imagine how a company could potentially still operate in a hostile country, if said company is only dealing with cyberspace products (such as software/saas).
Would they be able to continously ignore any/all rulings, by operating the datacenter, and any payment mechanisms, outside said hostile country?
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#327Google's response to the ruling: https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/andro...
Oh wow, the arrogance they show with that "It's easy to replace an app" video.
Yes, it is, which is why the EU commission have a whole section on explicitly why "default install" is still anti-competitive.
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#328Earlier quoted context omitted.
You think it was blindingly obvious to Apple that they would have had to pay this tax eventually? Seems to me and everyone else it was an attempt at a stroke. You're alleging that Apple were a passive actor. You saw that thing in the ICIJ Jersey papers leak where Apple went round the world actively seeking jurisdictions that would twist their tax rules to suit them? https://www.irishtimes.com/business/apple-s-cash-mo…
No, I'm not alleging Apple was passive here, at all I'm saying that when you get a deal this good — however you ended up there — you should not be surprised when it turns out that it was illegal. Of course Apple shopped around. But if somebody offered to sell you $20 bills for half a cent each, would you suspect something dodgy? That's the scale of the issue here.
Apple should be forced to pay back 10x what they gained in this illegal deal.
It's bleedingly obvious that it's illegal to be taxed differently than other companies. Paying back €13bn is nothing.
Companies that "make deals" on tax anywhere in the world should be effectively banned from the EU market. It's pure evil. Or pay 10x of any gain they have made anywhere in the world by "making deals" on tax, thereby undercutting fair competition in a free market.
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#329This line in the article got to me, "The fine would top the EU’s €2.4 billion antitrust decision against Google just over a year ago." It looks like the EU has created a piggy bank with these regulations on hostage tech corporations. I wonder how much of the large fines is attributed to prosecutors or politicians trying to make a name for themselves. Anyone know how often these record fines hold up on appeal? Edit: W…
Harmful to innovation laws absolutely crushed innovation in Europe. I'm guessing this is one of the few ways they can get any revenue from innovation anymore
Re: European Commission fines Google €4.34B in Android antitrust case
#330I find this fine bizarre. Sure, Android is dominating the European markets, but I find it to be a good thing. I am surprised that the EU commission never investigated Apple. I don't know when they stopped doing it, but Apple used to remove apps from their store that were duplicating Apple provided services. I also think that manufacturers have themselves to thank. AOSP used to be quite complete in the old days, but e…
"Sure, Android is dominating the European markets, but I find it to be a good thing. I am surprised that the EU commission never investigated Apple." You are answering your own question. The problem is that Apple is not under investigation because it has 15% a 20% marketshare and so it's impact is regarded as rather small and not seen as a monopoly. When you have a big share of the pie there are other rules that appl…
This was not the case when these complaints were originally filled.