Pichai responds to EU fine, hints Google might start charging for Android
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- Anonym
- 60J
- 19 Jul 2018
Nico Mission, 19 Jul 2018Guys... Apple business model is different from Google &... moreTrue, but that has nothing to do with this case, as the fine is for anti-trust and abuse of dominant position (not privacy violation).
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- Nico Mission
- 7%%
- 19 Jul 2018
Guys... Apple business model is different from Google & Facebook.
Facebook & Google beware your date & privacy not safe.
- A
- Anonym
- 60J
- 19 Jul 2018
Anonymous, 19 Jul 2018Some common questions asked relating to this:
1) What abou... moreThe problem you (and others are missing) is that market share isn't just sold units. In fact, what really counts here is the money they are making. Apple is much more pervasive to the market than you are accounting for. The fact they are even more draconian in regards to competition, while remaining unscaded about it, just sends the wrong message to the entire market.
TL;DR I'm not questioning the fine itself, but I do question the priorities. In a market of bad players, leaving the worst offender out of any punishment just sends the wrong message.
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- Anonymous
- 3Jn
- 19 Jul 2018
Well done EU.. ( pretty sure they do sod all and just decide to fine people every now and then to bankroll the EU) personally I wish google well say we're not paying and we won't supply android phones to the EU market therefore leaving no marketing completion for apple.. Also the amount of hate the EU will get for this will be great. now smart phones will cost more granted.. they might not include all the other services.. but most you can ignore or turn disable. Hmm I don't like contracts and prefer to buy phone's outright... so if it gets to the point where it matches apples prices I can see people jumping ship. For the brand name..
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- Anonymous
- KAx
- 19 Jul 2018
Anonymous, 19 Jul 2018is it really googles fault? like dont the phones brand have... moreAccording to the agreement which phone makers need to sign in order to have Google Play Services, it is necessary to include Google Search and Chrome browser in all phones. So the phone makers **must** include Chrome, even if they don't want it. Its not because Chrome is 'better' even though it may be.
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- Anonymous
- nYF
- 19 Jul 2018
is it really googles fault? like dont the phones brand have a choice to select what apps they preload on the phone.
they choose chrome (maybe its easier, more familiar, more optimezed etc) then the other programs. but can you blame google for that?
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- Markobarko
- L7m
- 19 Jul 2018
Google earns bilions.
Google is doging taxes.
They shure can survive without charging for Android.
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- LG Superfan
- KI@
- 19 Jul 2018
It would be better if OEMs stop putting their services which google already have except gallery and music player it is googles android they can pre install their apps its oems that should stop with duplicate apps aside from gallery, music player and file manager I use google services they are better and seemless across other devices
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- Anonymous
- IVN
- 19 Jul 2018
--VM--, 19 Jul 2018You are worse.. You want earn everything freely .. Ask yo... moreIt's about wanting it free. It's that he has done a bad job
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- Anonymous
- Q5i
- 19 Jul 2018
Anonymous, 19 Jul 2018Not bothered the slightest. Let EU charge them even mor... morelol. ignorance and arrogance.
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- H-1
- aX8
- 19 Jul 2018
Targeting Google and Microsoft and forgetting Apple... I guess those EU guys all own iPhones *shrug*
As for me, I don't mind having a paid option where I can enjoy android without Google services. Or even a phone that allows me to install other OSs or OEM ROMs.
I once had Linux on my phone... Good old days.
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- Anonymous
- KAx
- 19 Jul 2018
Some common questions asked relating to this:
1) What about Apple?
Apple owns both the hardware and software. They don't license iOS to other vendors. It is their proprietary product. Additionally they are only 15% of the EU market, therefore they are not a monopoly in any sense. If Apple had 85% market share, then yes they can very well be fined, but they are just a "minor" player in the smartphone field, even though they have a lot of influence. Influential =/= Monopolistic.
2) Google develops Android for free, isn't it fair to bundle their apps?
They can charge the hardware manufacturers to install Android in their phones as per the Apache license, but they cannot bundle their apps. Why? Because Android is a monopoly with 85% market share, forcing phone makers to bundle Google Search and Chrome is not legal. They are abusing their market position in one area (Android) to promote their products in another area (Search, Browser) and blocking any competition (Bing, Duckduckgo, Firefox, Edge). This is the exact reason Microsoft was fined by EU for including IE in all Windows PCs.
3) Want Android, use Google. If not don't use Google and use something else, Android is open source after all.
...and that's the problem. The issue is with the AFA (Anti Fragmentation Agreement) which all phone makers have to sign if they want the Play Store. According to it, if a phone maker uses any other fork of Android other than Google's, then they will never get Play Store access again. This was why Fire OS never took off. Amazon built Fire OS which was based on Android. When they asked other manufacturers to use their OS, the phone makers were willing but Google's AFA means that if Samsung/LG/HTC/others make even 1 Fire Phone, they will no longer get Google's Play Store and Play Services, ever. That's why phone makers didn't want to move away from Google. If it was a level playing field, manufacturers can choose to install either Google's or Amazon's OS because Android is open source. Let the consumers decide which is better. But Google used its dominant position to block phone makers from even trying out Fire OS even though Fire OS was also open source, based on the same Android and can run the same apps. In fact, this was the same reason cited by EU for the fine.
4) Fine, let Google pull out of EU. Let them suffer.
Google very well can. If you want to sell in the EU, you need to comply with the rules of the EU. Same like that in China. However Google is more dependent on EU than the other way round. If Google pulls out of EU, it loses (I think) 25% of its revenue. That will have a catastrophic impact on Google. Their shares will nosedive tremendously. For EU, If not Google, there is Bing and DuckDuckGo (which are pretty good too). If not for Chrome, there is Firefox,Edge,Safari,etc. If not for Maps, there is Here Maps (which is very good in Europe). If not for Youtube, there is Vimeo and DailyMotion (which are decent). So Google's competitors can very well take up Google's place.
- kurotsuki
- KLT
- 19 Jul 2018
Mew... Back then, Microsoft must have a ballot for what browser the user will use. When it's omitted in SP1 (which immediately fixed once discovered), they where fined USD 732m. Now, EU is doing the same to Google with larger fine, EUR 4.3b, (except for ballot part, as they blatantly targeting browser inclusion, even though user can download alternative browser immediately from play store). What's wrong with this EU Commission? Do they think EU people are so dumb that they can't download alternative themselves?
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- --VM--
- Dk$
- 19 Jul 2018
Dre, 19 Jul 2018This guy is worse ceo ever. Android have never really advan... moreYou are worse..
You want earn everything freely ..
Ask your dad ..
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- --VM--
- Dk$
- 19 Jul 2018
LIRKER, 19 Jul 2018What is gonna happen for Android users after this...Paid oS
High cost mobile .
Who hate google trends and android in this days
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- Anonymous
- Q5x
- 19 Jul 2018
Sonu4678, 19 Jul 2018Well, at least we should've options to remove Google's bloat.Lol. You don't want bloat? Go, create your own OS mister/madam. LOL
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- Anonymous
- Q5x
- 19 Jul 2018
Android is Google's. In fact, they can do whatever they want with it, fill it with bloatware and stuff. It's theirs.
Manufacturers can go screw themselves, pick another OS or better yet create their own.
Whats gotten to EU's mind?
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- Anonymous
- dM}
- 19 Jul 2018
Not bothered the slightest.
Let EU charge them even more, that will teach them a lesson to stop this bs.
I dont need google video, google books, google this google that.