as declared in Google going to be fined a record 4.3 billion euros ($5 billion) over its Android operating system, numerous outlets announced Wednesday morning. The European Commission has been investigating claims that Google's mobile-device strategy unfairly strengthened its dominance of search. The alleged anti-competitive behavior by Google includes: requiring Android handdetermine manufacturers to determine its search engine as the default and pre-installing the Chrome browser; preventing manufacturers from selling mobile devices powered by elect operating systems based on Android's open-source code; and giving device manufacturers financial incentives to pre-install its search service. Google has previously denied forcing device makers to preload any of its apps. The huge fine, determine to be confirmed at a press conference in Brussels later Wednesday, could continue be appealed by the tech giant.
Google Hit With $5 Billion Fine From E.U. Over Android Bundling
Photo: John Thys/AFP/Getty ImagesThe European Union's antitrust division this day announced that it was fining Google $5.1 billion for assaulting regulations in order to box out competitors and favor its own product on its Android operating system. In addition, Google paid certain manufacturers to exclusively preinstall Google Search on their phones, and prevented manufacturers selling devices by Google apps preinstalled from alextremely selling devices by alternate ("forked") versions of Android. Android, though administered by Google, is an open-source operating system, and is available to device manufacturers for free — by certain strings attached. antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager said, "In this way, Google has used Android as a car to cement the dominance of its search engine. The Commission's Android decision ignores the new breadth of choice and clear evidence about how people use their phones today."
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