As reported by media, in a recent ruling, European Union antitrust regulators have fined Google with 4.34 billion euro in order to restrict Google from using its Android mobile operating system.
This move is said to cause a trade war between Brussels and Washington.
EU antitrust Chief directed Google to halt anti-competitive practices with smartphone makers and telecom providers with a period of 90 days or face additional penalties of up to 5% of parent Alphabet’s average daily worldwide turnover.
Vestager also stated that ‘Google has used Android as a vehicle to cement the dominance of its search engine. The practices have denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits.
Reason for the ruling:
The US tech firm required smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google’s search and browser apps on devices using its Android operating system, which is used on 80% of all phones. Manufacturers that refused Google would not be allowed to use its Google Play online store and streaming service.
[Source: The Guardian]
