Current:Home > InvestGoogle Is Appealing A $5 Billion Antitrust Fine In The EU-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Google Is Appealing A $5 Billion Antitrust Fine In The EU
View Date:2024-12-23 23:29:03
LONDON — Google headed to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition through the dominance of its Android operating system.
The company is fighting a 2018 decision from the EU's executive Commission, the bloc's top antitrust enforcer, that resulted in the 4.34 billion-euro ($5 billion) fine — still the biggest ever fine Brussels has imposed for anticompetitive behavior.
It's one of three antitrust penalties totaling more than $8 billion that the commission hit Google with between 2017 and 2019. The others focused on shopping and search, and the California company is appealing all three. While the penalties involved huge sums, critics point out that Google can easily afford them and that the fines haven't done much to widen competition.
In its original decision, the commission said Google's practices restrict competition and reduce choices for consumers.
Google, however, plans to argue that free and open source Android has led to lower-priced phones and spurred competition with its chief rival, Apple.
"Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world. This case isn't supported by the facts or the law," the company said as the five-day hearing opened at the European Court of Justice's General Court.
The EU Commission declined to comment. The court's decision is not expected until next year.
Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating even Apple's iOS, and is found on four out of five devices in Europe.
The Commission ruled that Google broke EU rules by requiring smartphone makers to take a bundle of Google apps if they wanted any at all, and prevented them from selling devices with altered versions of Android.
The bundle contains 11 apps, including YouTube, Maps and Gmail, but regulators focused on the three that had the biggest market share: Google Search, Chrome and the company's Play Store for apps.
Google's position is that because Android is open source and free, phone makers or consumers can decide for themselves which apps to install on their devices. And because it's the only one bearing the costs of developing and maintaining Android, Google has to find ways to recoup that expense, so its solution is to include apps that will generate revenue, namely Search and Chrome.
The company also argues that just because its apps come pre-installed on Android phones, it doesn't mean users are excluded from downloading rival services.
The Commission also took issue with Google's payments to wireless carriers and phone makers to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app. But Google said those deals amounted to less than 5% of the market, so they couldn't possibly hurt rivals.
Following the ruling, Google made some changes to address the issues, including giving European Android users a choice of browser and search app, and charging device makers to pre-install its apps.
veryGood! (826)
Related
- Messi breaks silence on Inter Miami's playoff exit. What's next for his time in the US?
- AP Election Brief | What to expect in Ohio’s special election
- Veteran Massachusetts police sergeant charged with assaulting 72-year-old neighbor
- Gilgo Beach press conference live stream: Authorities share update on killings
- Who will be in the top 12? Our College Football Playoff ranking projection
- AP Week in Pictures: North America
- Former Mississippi law enforcement officers plead guilty over racist assault on 2 Black men
- Proof Lili Reinhart and Her Cowboy Boyfriend Jack Martin Are Riding Off Into the Sunset
- GreenBox Systems will spend $144 million to build an automated warehouse in Georgia
- Taylor Swift's Longtime Truck Driver Reacts to Life-Changing $100,000 Bonuses
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Take the Day Off
- A truck driver won $1M after announcing his retirement. He still put in his last 2 weeks.
- Authorities to announce new break in long investigation of Gilgo Beach killings
- Proof Lili Reinhart and Her Cowboy Boyfriend Jack Martin Are Riding Off Into the Sunset
- Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
- Tennessee Titans release OL Jamarco Jones after multiple fights almost sparked brawl
- Want to live like Gwyneth Paltrow for one night? She's listing her guest house on Airbnb.
- Fifth Gilgo Beach victim identified as Karen Vergata, police say
Recommendation
-
John Krasinski Details Moment He Knew Wife Emily Blunt Was “the One”
-
Prosecutor wants to defend conviction of former Missouri detective who killed Black man
-
Stores are locking up products to curb shoplifters. How that's affecting paying customers.
-
Otter attacks three women floating on inner tubes in Montana’s Jefferson River
-
Watch out, Temu: Amazon Haul, Amazon's new discount store, is coming for the holidays
-
Love Is Blind’s Irina Solomonova Reveals One-Year Fitness Transformation
-
Wild otter attack leads to woman being airlifted to hospital, 2 others injured
-
US economy likely generated 200,000 new jobs in July, showing more resilience in face of rate hikes