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Europe confirms that manufacturers are free to sell Android phones without Google

Have you heard the news?

Last week’s European highest court confirmed an important ruling to fight for competitive markets and users’ privacy.

In July 2018, the European Union fined Google €4.8bn for abusing its power in the smartphone market and ordered the company to change its practices. The main goal of this fine was to stop Google from forcing manufacturers to pre-installing Google default apps in Android.

Google appealed the fine back then.

Last week, the EU general court validated the fine for €4.125bn for anticompetitive behaviour towards phone manufacturers. Google is accused of forcing the Android manufacturers to “pre-install the Google search and browser apps on devices running on the Android mobile operating system” and of putting restrictions on mobile network operators as a condition for carrying the Google app store.

Combined with other regulations like the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Union is showing that Big Tech cannot do what they want at the expense of users and consumers rights.

This is crucial news for the European mobile industry as it allows European manufacturers to work with other companies that develop Android forks without having to install by default Google apps, like the Playstore or Chrome or Google search. It proves that “the life without Google” is possible.

efoundation & Murena, as a part of the coalition for Competitive Digital Markets, are truly pleased about this news and hope these new rules will open the door for more alternatives and innovation.

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