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A FEW MONTHS after Google proposed a list of remedies to help settle Europe’s antitrust case focusing on its search engine business, the European Commission (EC) could soon be filing another case against the company, this time looking at its mobile software Android.
The EC is currently laying down the groundwork for a case looking at whether Google abuses the dominant market share Android has on the smartphone market to promote services like search and maps, according to Reuters.
It has sent out questionnaires to companies, asking whether there was a requirement set by Google for them not to pre-install apps, products or services that compete with Google’s own services.
While any company is free to use Android as they wish, as it’s an open-source platform, mobile handset makers that want to use the platform must sign a contract that requires a minimum number of Google services be pre-installed on devices, according to a former Google executive speaking to Reuters.
It’s expected that a formal probe will begin once the EC wraps up its investigation into whether Google ranks its own services higher than those of its rivals.
The news comes shortly after new findings from Strategy Analytics found that 85% of global phone shipments in the second quarter were powered by Android. It also found that overall smartphone shipments grew to 295 million units during the last quarter, a 27% increase compared to the same period last year.
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Google in trouble for promoting Google services on a Google-built mobile platform? Am I missing something?
I don’t really see that as abuse of androids dominance, consumers are not forced to use the apps that come pre-installed and there are many alternatives on the Google play store.
Then again, it is early in the morning, maybe I overlooked some important detail that changes everything.
The commission took a different view of the netscape vs ms Internet explorer case. Having the browser pre configured led to an abuse of market position because of the vertical integration of elements of the supply chain forcing OEMs using windows to install explorer and other ms products. People didn’t have to use them but it strays into cartel territory.
These are old principles that ho back to Rockefeller and standard oil.
A manufacturer who wants accesses to the google play store/services and popular services like maps and youtube has to include shit apps like Google play music/google+ etc etc. This is called bundling and is not looked on kindly by competition authorities for a dominant OS. It’s Windows all over again.
For example GPM is a shit service compared to Spotify but by bundling it with phone they can drive out Spotify. Or google drive compared to dropbox etc. There is a balance to find but there certainly is a case.
What’s wrong with GPM (All Access)? I’ve been using it for months and haven’t had a problem with it. I used the Spotify trial as well and found no major advantages.
Pretty much all that can be compared are their catalogues & price, the rest is down to personal preference. From what I read they offer a similar catalogue of music at a similar price. I personally prefer Spotify but that’s probably just because I’m used to it and have no incentive to switch.
So much for “do no evil”. They get a little bit more like cynical ol Microsoft every day.
Eh.. Can’t manufacturers use AOSP if they wish? Google’s apps like Maps and Gmail are not actually part of the OS at all any more.
Any conditions they set down regarding gapps use, whether we like them or not, surely have nothing to do with the OS.
Take any 99 euro android tablet as an example. It comes with android, but no gapps. Nothing wrong with that.
Sure but Maps and Youtube and play services are bundled with other shit apps. Bundling is just a no no on a dominant OS.
If anything it’s the manufacturers themselves that laden the phones with total bloatware: Samsung, Sony and HTC phones are all full of alternative rubbish (who in their right mind wants to use the Samsung store to buy an app rather than Google play?). One of the reasons the vanilla Galaxies, the Nexus and Cyanogenmods are so popular is precisely due to lack of manufacturer installed bloatware. Also, why should Apple not face the same consequences? Total joke really.
‘Gapps’… is this really happening?
That’s what the files are called when you download em!
In response to why apple doesn’t face the same consequences, iOS isn’t open source and is only used on Apple devices so I’d imagine that’s where the distinction lies. Android is widespread and used in many phones by many different manufacturers.
To be fair. Google maps is a fantastic product. Where there are several route options, the cycling mode now gives shows you changes in elevation so you can choose how hilly or smooth you want the cycle to be. And the cycle routes it offers are fantastic, it takes you down laneways and public walkways instead of just roads now.
Oh for fork’s sake
So you work hard to build a market dominant company, and then can’t use that position to your advantage?
I don’t get it
but what about the manufactures who choose to use Android on their phones? Are they not enabling Google?
have your say