is to force manufacturers to include its search tools and the Chrome browser on devices that use the operating system
the European Union today accused Google of abusing the dominant position of its Android operating system for mobile devices, opening a second front against the US technology giant that could lead to large fines.
antitrust regulators the European Union said that by asking mobile phone manufacturers pre-install Google Search and search engine Google Chrome, the US firm is denying consumers a wider range of mobile applications and stagnating innovation. It is an investigation that opened in 2014, when they began to circulate the first rumors of secret agreements between manufacturers and Google, which forced companies to include a folder in the initial view of the phone with all the applications Google.
Google already faces charges in the European Union by promoting its shopping service Internet searches at the expense of its rivals, in a case that has dragged on since late 2010, despite three attempts to solve it.
for Google there is much at stake in the case of Android, since last year raised about 11,000 million dollars from advertising sales on Android phones via applications like Maps, Search and Gmail, as estimates of the financial analyst Richard Windsor.
“a competitive industry of mobile Internet is increasingly important for consumers and businesses in Europe again,” said a statement by the European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. “We believe that the behavior of Google denies consumers a wider range of mobile applications and services choice and prevent innovation by other operators,” he said.
Microsoft, the company that owns the search engine Explorer, declined to comment, while other providers, such as Mozilla, behind the Firefox browser, Apple, with its Safari browser, and Opera Norwegian were not available for comment immediately.
the European Commission said about 80 percent of mobile devices in Europe and the world run on Android, the operating system developed by Google.
Google said today it takes “seriously” the concerns expressed by the European Commission (EC ) today formally accused of abuse of dominant position with its Android operating system, and said it will work with the institution to prove that it is “good for competition”.
“We take these concerns seriously “the US company said in its European corporate blog. “But we also believe that our business model keeps costs for manufacturers and high flexibility, while giving consumers unprecedented control of their mobile devices,” he continued.
Google Guaranteed that “will work” with the European Commission to “demonstrate the careful way we have designed the model of Android, so it is good for competition and for consumers.”
the company launched Android in 2007 as an operating system “free and open source, supported by numerous hardware partners. Android has it emerged as an engine for mobile software and innovation in hardware,” he said, adding that he has “empowered hundreds of manufacturers to create great phones, tablets and other devices. “
in addition, he stressed that has allowed developers of different magnitudes” reach huge audiences “with the result that” users enjoy extraordinary options of applications and devices lower prices than ever before. “
Google explained that the agreements it has with its partners are” entirely voluntary “and that” anyone can use Android without Google. ” “You can download all the free operating system, modify it as you like and build a phone,” something that make companies like Amazon, said, referring to what is known as Android AOSP, widely used by Chinese manufacturers (and precisely lacks all Google services, including access to its application store).
He also made it clear that manufacturers who want to participate in the Android ecosystem “undertake to test and certify their devices you can use Android apps “system that allows the operation of applications between different devices using the same operating system.
he also assured that any manufacturer can download Google applications on your device and add other free.
the company said that while downloading Android is free for manufacturers, “costly” to develop, improve, keep it secure and defend its patents, so that offset those costs with ” benefits that we generate with our Google applications and services that we distribute through Android “.
Finally, recalled that users find it” easy and simple “customize their devices and add applications” competing directly with ours. “
Google said have been downloaded more than 50,000 million applications in its operating system, some as popular as Spotify, WhatsApp, Angry Birds, Instagram or Snapchat, demonstrating his judgment “how easy it is for consumers to use applications like”.
Agencies EFE and Reuters
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