Google faces EU charges over 'Android dominance'

[Cleoriff]

Google has been issued formal antitrust charges over claims that it abuses the dominant position of its Android operating system.

The European Commission sent a statement of objections to the tech firm, alleging that it has breached EU competition law. Google is accused of placing onerous requirements on firms using Android and stifling competition.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36092441

[jonsie]

I have to agree. I hate some of the inbuilt google apps that you can't get rid of unless you root the phone.

[Bambino]

I've never owned one, but doesn't Apple do the same for iPhones? If you want more control, don't you have to 'jailbreak' them?

The article says that Google stifles choice. If you don't use Android, the other alternatives are Windows and IOS, and I'm not interested in either. With so many manufacturers using Android, and being allowed to alter the OS because it's open source, unlike IOS, I don't see what the problem is?

[Cleoriff]

Google has a lot of history with regulator issues....almost on a yearly basis. They have survived them all

2007 - US Federal Trade Commission investigates Google's acquisition of online advertising firm DoubleClick and rules it can go ahead.

2008 - US Justice Department blocks a deal to allow Yahoo to run Google search ads on Yahoo sites.

2009 - Rivals file complaints against Google to national regulators in Europe, citing competition concerns.

2010 - European Commission launches formal antitrust probe of Google's search business. This is still ongoing.

2013 - FTC drops its two-year investigation of Google, concluding it had not manipulated search results to damage rivals.

2014 - European politicians pass a non-binding resolution calling for the break-up of Google's search engine business from the rest of the company.

2015 - New EU antitrust commissioner Ms Vestager charges Google with distorting search results to favour its own shopping services over rivals and reveals that she is also investigating Google's Android business.

Over these years, Google has also faced scrutiny from regulators in South Korea, Brazil, India and Russia.

[Bambino]

I'm sure Google will survive this too.

[Martin-O2]

I wouldn't mind the pre-loaded apps but only if they gave you the option to delete them. 

[Cleoriff]

I have never owned an iPhone....but do Apple give you the opportunity to delete their pre-loaded apps? #justasking

[Bambino]

I asked that as well in post 3 @Cleoriff. No answer from anyone.

[jonsie]

Up until the latest os you couldn't delete the inbuilt apps definitely

[jonsie]

http://www.techworm.net/2016/01/developer-program-allows-users-to-remove-default-apps-from-iphones.h...