Google Android Anti Fragmentation Agreement

“They officially hate forks because of the risk of fragmentation, but actually because it creates competition outside their walled garden,” Geradin said. “If they can make life for companies that want to produce ranges very difficult, they will.” Regulators should be “much more difficult with Google when it comes to remedies,” he argued. The investigation resulted in a fine of 4.34 billion euros (about $4.9 billion) imposed on the company. Google appealed the fine and two other cartel and abuse decisions, but made some significant concessions. “In the future, Android partners who want to distribute Google apps will also be able to build smartphones and tablets that are not compatible or forked for the European Economic Area,” Wrote Google Android SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer at the time. The EU won. Sorting out of In response to a multi-billion dollar fine for anti-competitive practices around Android, Google has agreed to change the way its Android device works. “If the Commission concludes that EU rules on cartels and abuse of dominance have been breached, companies must change their operations and can expect fines. This is necessary to effectively protect European consumers, but it also means, of course, that the rights of the defence of the company concerned must be fully respected. In a statement of grievances released today, the European Commission states that Google has breached cartel and abuse rules by requiring “manufacturers to pre-install Google`s Google search and Google`s Chrome browser, and that they must define Google search as the default search service on their devices, as a condition for licensing certain Google proprietary applications.” , preventing manufacturers from selling smart mobile devices based on competing operating systems. based on Android`s Open Source code” and “giving financial incentives to manufacturers and the mobile network” provided they pre-install Google search only on their devices.” CCI noted that MADA requires device manufacturers to pre-install the entire suite of Google apps and in predefined positions to pre-install mobile google applications.

In addition, signing an Android (ACC) compatibility requirement is a condition of MADA, and these two agreements include the following restrictions: (i) In order to pre-install Google`s proprietary applications, device manufacturers must commit to the definition of Android Compatibility Document (CDD) for all devices based on the mandatory pre-installation charge of the entire GMS suite under MADA , CCI observed that under MADA, Google offers its mobile apps and manufacturers of services like Flower Bouquet which includes the Google Play Store, the Google Search Widget and a folder with several Google apps, including the Chrome browser. In addition, according to MADA, device manufacturers who sign this agreement cannot choose from the GMS suite of pre-installation applications, which involves the mandatory fixing of Google apps (such as Play Store) that device manufacturers wish to have on their devices with other applications where other credible alternatives might be available. Accordingly, the ICC considered prima facie that the mandatory pre-installation of the entire GMS suite under MADA would amount to the imposition of an unfair state towards device manufacturers and an apparent use of Google`s dominance in the Play Store to protect relevant markets such as general online search. The last change is certainly a shock. The termination of Google`s licensing agreement will have a financial impact on OEMs.