{"id":63023,"date":"2018-04-13T07:17:26","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T07:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=63023"},"modified":"2018-04-13T07:17:26","modified_gmt":"2018-04-13T07:17:26","slug":"european-commission-may-slap-google-serious-fine-android","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/technology\/european-commission-may-slap-google-serious-fine-android.html","title":{"rendered":"European Commission may slap Google with a serious fine over Android"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Commission may slap Google with a serious fine over Android<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Over the past several years, Google has faced three antitrust cases by the European Commission regarding Google Shopping, AdSense, and Android\u2019s dominance in the smartphone market. The Commission\u2019s ruling regarding Android will likely arrive in the next several months, slapping Google with a possible multi-billion dollar fine. But rivals and market watchers believe fines and regulations won\u2019t make a significant difference.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outside Apple\u2019s iPhone, Google\u2019s Android is the dominant operating system in the smartphone market. It\u2019s typically unaltered packing first-party apps such as Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search and so on, peppered with apps developed internally by smartphone makers. Typically, any \u201ccustomization\u201d involved relies on visual tweaks to the overall interface and special \u201claunchers\u201d that change the appearance of the home screen and app drawer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Device makers have attempted to offer smartphones with altered, \u201cforked\u201d versions on Android. Amazon made such an attempt with its failed Fire Phone in 2014: A 3D-enabled phone powered by a modified version of Android the company calls Fire OS. It\u2019s the same platform Amazon uses for its Kindle Fire-branded tablets, Fire TV, Echo, Echo Dot, and more. Meanwhile, Samsung\u2019s use of Tizen initially seemed the end of Android on its smartphones, but the company still uses Google\u2019s operating system on its Galaxy devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, there is no real alternative to Android. Even more, Google commands 90 percent of the European search market and provides revenue sharing payments to smartphone makers who pre-install Google Search. Individuals siding with the European Commission claim the company provides strong incentives, too, leaving smartphone makers unable to promote alternatives to Google\u2019s apps. Anything distributed outside Google Play could be considered as untrustworthy by users.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s because Android\u2019s app-related problem spans years. In the early days, smartphone makers were altering Android to distinguish their products against competitors. Meanwhile, third-party app stores not governed by Google or device manufacturers lured in device owners. The resulting malware epidemic seemingly pushed customers to prefer \u201cpure\u201d Android builds and Google Play apps. The only exception is Amazon\u2019s Android apps store, which still must be side-loaded on Android devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seemingly to keep the \u201cpure\u201d theme intact, Google pushes smartphone makers to install the Chrome browser and other first-party apps if Google Play is present. But smartphone makers still have an option to install their own stores and apps, such as Samsung\u2019s Galaxy Apps store on Galaxy-class smartphones. Obviously, Google isn\u2019t completely banning third-party apps from Android, but the European Commission still seems to think that some type of regulation is in order.<\/span><\/p>\n

But European Commission sources claim that it can\u2019t simply order Google to change its Android business under European law. If anything, the Commission can slap Google with a fine and make suggestions: Stop enforcing first-party app installation and stop paying device makers for installing Google Search. Will that make a difference in the overall Android picture? Probably not.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAndroid is utterly dominant,\u201d CCS Insight\u2019s Geoff Blaber told Reuters. \u201cWhatever the ruling, manufacturers are heavily reliant [on Android] so nothing is going to change dramatically.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/mobile\/google-possibly-fined-android-anti-trust\/<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t