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Google could charge up to $40 to include its apps on Android phones in the EU

This week Google announced that it would comply with an EU order to unbundle some of the apps it licenses to Android phone makers while appealing the ruling. The move would allow phone makers to include the Google Play Store and Gmail without loading the Chrome web browser or Google Search apps, for example. But […]

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Android phone makers may have to start paying for the Play Store, other Google apps (in Europe)

After the European Union slapped Google with a $5 billion fine in an antitrust case this summer, Google appealed the ruling. But while waiting for the outcome of that appeal, Google has come up with a plan B: the company is changing the way it licenses its apps and services for Android phones and tablets […]

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Let’s speculate: What would Android look like if Google complies with the EU decision

The European union wants Google to end what it sees as anti-competitive practices that force most phone and tablet makers to preload their devices with Google Search and the Chrome web browser if they also include the Google Play Store. Google plans to appeal the decision, but what if Google loses? What happens next? I […]

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EU fines Google $5 billion for antitrust violations related to Android

European Union regulators say Google has abused its dominant position in the smartphone operating system space to pressure phone makers into including Google Search and the Chrome web browser on their devices, stifling competition. In response, the EU has fined Google 4.34 billion Euros (about $5.04 billion US) and ordered the company to end the […]

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EU fines Qualcomm $1.2 billion for antitrust violations

The European Commission says the world’s largest supplier of LTE chipsets abused its dominant position in the marketplace to keep phone makers from using chips from rival companies. As a result, the EU has issued a €997 million ($1.23 billion) fine against Qualcomm. Qualcomm says it will appeal the decision. At issue is an agreement […]

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European Commission files antitrust complaint against Google over Android licensing practices

Google Android is an open source operating system. That means anyone can install or modify the software, and some companies have even released their own custom forks of the operating system such as Amazon’s Fire OS (for tablets and TV boxes) or Cyanogen Inc’s Cyanogen OS (for phones… so far). But some of the key […]

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Russian court ruling could force Google to unbundle some apps from Android phones

Google offers its Android operating system as free, open source software that any device maker can pre-install on a smartphone. But some of the most popular, useful Android apps such as Gmail, Google Maps, and the Google Play Store are not free… and if you want to include those apps on a phone or tablet you […]

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EU antitrust officials accuse Google of abusing its monopoly position in search, maybe smartphones

The European Commission has been looking into questions of whether Google has been using its dominant position in search to violate European Union antitrust rules — and the commission has sent a Statement of Objection suggesting that the US-based search company’s shopping comparison system may cross that line. The Commission has also started looking into […]