: Google in court to appeal EUs 2018 Android antitrust case #IndiaNEWS #International London: Google headed to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling

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Google in court to appeal EUs 2018 Android antitrust case #IndiaNEWS #International
London: Google headed to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition through the dominance of its Android operating system.
The company is fighting a 2018 decision from the EUs executive Commission, the blocs top antitrust enforcer, that resulted in the 4. 34 billion-euro ( billion) fine — still the biggest ever fine Brussels has imposed for anti-competitive behaviour.
Its one of three antitrust penalties totalling more than billion that the commission hit Google with between 2017 and 2019. The others focused on shopping and search, and the California company is appealing all three. While the penalties involved huge sums, critics point out that Google can easily afford them and that the fines havent done much to widen competition.
In its original decision, the commission said Googles practices restrict competition and reduce choices for consumers.
Google, however, plans to argue that free and open-source Android has led to lower-priced phones and spurred competition with its chief rival, Apple.
“Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world. This case isnt supported by the facts or the law,� the company said as the five-day hearing opened at the European Court of Justices General Court.
The EU Commission declined to comment. The courts decision is not expected until next year.
Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating even Apples iOS, and is found on four out of five devices in Europe.
The Commission ruled that Google broke EU rules by requiring smartphone makers to take a bundle of Google apps if they wanted any at all, and prevented them from selling devices with altered versions of Android.
The bundle contains 11 apps, including YouTube, Maps and Gmail, but regulators focused on the three that had the biggest market share: Google Search, Chrome and the companys Play Store for apps.
Googles position is that because Android is open source and free, phone makers or consumers can decide for themselves which apps to install on their devices. And because its the only one bearing the costs of developing and maintaining Android, Google has to find ways to recoup that expense, so its solution is to include apps that will generate revenue, namely Search and Chrome.
The company also argues that just because its apps come pre-installed on Android phones, it doesnt mean users are excluded from downloading rival services.
The Commission also took issue with Googles payments to wireless carriers and phone makers to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app.

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