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Google Hits Back at EU Claim Over Android Abuses (bbc.com)

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the he-says-she-says dept.

Google has rejected EU allegations that it abused its market dominance of its Android mobile phone operating system. "Android hasn't hurt competition, it's expanded it," said Kent Walker, general counsel of Google. From a report on BBC: The US tech firm sent its reply on Thursday to anti-trust charges issued by the EU earlier this year over the smartphone platform. The European Commission told the BBC it would carefully consider Google's response before making a decision. Mr Walker said in a blog: "The response we filed today shows how the Android ecosystem carefully balances the interests of users, developers, hardware makers and mobile operators." He said that more than 24,000 devices from over 1,300 brands ran on Android, enabling European developers to distribute their apps to over a billion people.

8 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. OK by squiggleslash · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Are there similar investigations int Google's competitors? Because they seem to have platforms that are far more closed and far more under the control of those competitors than Android ever has been.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  2. EU Bullshit by CrashNBrn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Android is the most open Operating System, except for maybe Linux - and with the push to force SystemD down everyone's throat,I'd say Android is more open than Linux. It's not that difficult to replace android components - almost all of the major device manufacturers do: Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.

    1. Re:EU Bullshit by Ionized · · Score: 2

      as deployed.

      blame the deployers - the smartphone makers - not Google.

    2. Re:EU Bullshit by CrashNBrn · · Score: 2

      Not really. You can get root on almost all Android devices, and most manufacturers allow for unlocking the bootloader as well. I've got root on a Xiaomi phone, though I've been having some problems with the bootloader due to this model's quirks compared to their others. I know it's possible. It looks like I need to load the Chinese Dev rom first - and I haven't had time to backup, wipe, reload *again*.

    3. Re:EU Bullshit by CrashNBrn · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What for? Why would you expect Apps from the "Play Store" to work, if you aren't going to use the support services those apps need. That makes zero sense. In that case use the Xiaomi store, or the Samsung Store. Or just continue to be paranoid and have a crippled device.

    4. Re:EU Bullshit by Solandri · · Score: 2

      Actually Android is Linux - it uses the Linux kernel. But yeah, I really don't understand the EU on this. Google already releases the source code for Android If anyone has a problem with Android being "closed" or restrictive, they just need to grab the source and compile their own version. Or install a version someone else has already compiled. If that's too difficult or not to their liking, then the EU should just hire someone to make an EU version. Google has already done 99% of the work, the EU just has to do the last 1% to create their own Google-free version. Just like Amazon has done with Fire OS.

      Google places no restrictions on Android - it is free (as in beer) open source. The only restriction they place is on the Google App suite (gmail, maps, calendar, etc). If you want the suite, then the Google Play store must be on the device. Unlike a competitor whose name is a fruit, you can have other stores if you want (I have both Play and the Amazon app store). If you installed Cyanogenmod, then the Google apps suite is the gapps file you downloaded and installed afterwards. It's not a necessary step if you want to use another app store, or just use Android with directly downloaded apps.

      Short of decoupling that app suite from the Play store (which would destroy Google's revenue model, since their apps are otherwise free), there's not much else Google can do to make Android any more open and free than it already is. This is kinda like if Microsoft gave Windows away for free and released its source code as open source so anyone could make their own version (which could run all Windows programs). And they also gave away the Office suite for free with the only stipulation being that you had to also install the Microsoft Store if you wanted the Office suite. You can still get your software from other stores if you want, and there are competing office suites you can use instead of Office. Then the EU filed an anti-trust suit against Microsoft because 80% of people opted to use the Office suite.

  3. The EU is Quasi Right. by Zombie+Ryushu · · Score: 2

    Android is the most open of the three Mobile OSes. That being said, The EU is Quasi Right. Android has a series of serious problems that need to be addressed.

    1. Per-device Roms. Android makers play Musical chipsets with Android Handsets. This is particularly true of Chinese firms like Mediatek, where the Rom has to match the CPU type (MTK6572, MTK6582, etc etc etc.)

    2. Location Services. At least on KitKat and lower, maybe some version of Lollipop. You cannot use alternate location services. This shouldn't be, and is a serious privacy concern.

    3. Root. On a device you own, you should always be able to become root. Always.

    4. Locked Bootloaders. It should not be allowed that you have Locked bootloaders onl any device you own.

  4. Total Absurdity by hackel · · Score: 2

    The notion that Google is "abusing" a "monopoly" is the most absurd accusation I've heard in a long time. The fact that Google is pouring money into an open source operating system which benefits *its own *competitors* should make this obvious to anyone. Where's the ruling for Apple, which refuses to release its source code, refuses to allow its software to run on any other hardware aside from its own, and doesn't allow any form of derivative works? Hell, they won't even allow other browser engines to run on their phones! Did Europe forget the great IE monopoly lawsuits? Come on...