The European Commission has opened a new front against Google. Wednesday morning, Brussels has revealed the list of complaints made against the US giant could have to pay up to nearly 7 billion euro fine – or 10% of its turnover – if conviction. detailed review.
Manufacturers pressure
“ In its contracts with manufacturers, Google made the grant under license from Google Play Store for Android devices to preinstall Google search as the default search service “, argues the European Commission in its press release.
Translation, if smartphone vendors, by operating their device with Android – the mobile operating system (OS) of the American giant – want to be able to offer their customers access Google’s online store, they are forced to board automatic search engine Google.
A difficult to overcome barriers for competing search engines Google and can be considered an obstacle to free competition in so far as Android dominates outrageously global OS market.
A reigns supreme
in 2015 alone, no fewer than 1.16 billion smartphones running Android were sold, which represents 82% of the market. And this is expected to increase further in the coming years. In 2017, 1.37 billion devices running the Google OS should find a buyer, according to the Gartner research group. This would represent a market share of 84%.
Furthermore, “ into its contracts with manufacturers, Google also required preinstallation of its Chrome mobile browser in exchange for the license of Google Play Store or Google Search , “says the European Commission. With the same consequences for competing browsers with Chrome so.
The war on forks
“ If a manufacturer wishes to preinstall proprietary Google applications, including Google Play Store and Google Search on any of its devices, Google forced him to enter a “frag agreement” under which it undertakes not to sell devices running Android forks “, says the European Commission.
flashback. The forks are operating systems created from the source code of Android that was opened ( “Open Source”) by Google via Android Source Project (AOSP). This OS is based on Android but core software overlays can then be superimposed.
“ At first, these customizations mainly involved additional elements such as interface (…) But gradually, some focused on the ecosystem of applications, which sometimes transformed the relationship with Google confrontation “, presented Vincent Teulade, telecoms expert at PwC, the “Echos” last year.
A double threat to Google. “ On the one hand, the level of advertising, fewer users then pass through its research services (…) On the other hand, the level of purchase applications because fewer users then serve as the Google Play Store “, then detailing Jérôme Colin – specialist telecoms issues, media and Internet in the Roland Berger consulting firm – to.” Echos “.
Recognizing the threat, Google had raised the tone against Acer in 2012. The Mountain View company had put pressure on the Taiwanese group so that it renounces launch one of its smartphones with Alyun (a fork developed by the Chinese giant Alibaba), failing to break their license agreements.
Acer would then have had to draw a line under Android, as well as the flagship application ( “killer apps”) owned by Google (YouTube, Gmail, etc.), which want to benefit users with their smartphones. This is why the manufacturer had backtracked
“ By joining the Open Handset Alliance, (note:. A consortium created in 2007 which joined many large manufacturers and telecom giants, which led to the creation of Android), each member must contribute to building an Android platform and not a bunch of incompatible versions ” had justified the US giant at the time
the European Commission, she, another interpretation of these actions. “ by her behavior, Google prevented manufacturers selling smart mobile devices running an Android fork competitor likely to become a credible alternative to the Android operating system from Google , “she advance Wednesday.
Significant financial incentives
“ Google has given substantial financial incentives to some of the biggest manufacturers smartphones and tablets as well as mobile network operators, provided they pre-install Google Search exclusively on their devices ‘, also argues the European Commission on Wednesday.
“ The Commission shall (…) evidence that the exclusivity clause had an impact on the pre-installation or non-search services competitors by some manufacturers devices and some mobile network operators , “she said.
for the record, Google denounced every part of this indictment. The American group emphasizes in particular the fact that everyone is free to reorganize his phone as he wishes, and to download applications of their choice.
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