Trump slams EU over $5b fine on Google

As this chart illustrates, other tech giants have felt the wrath of the European Commission as well. It also set a 90-day deadline for Google to rectify the problem or risk further fines.

According to the commission, Google offers its mobile apps and services to device manufacturers as a bundle, which includes the Google Play Store, the Google Search app, and the Google Chrome browser.

This led to complaints that the world of Android was “forked”, with compatibility of applications inconsistent and device makers slow or reluctant to push updated versions or security patches to users. “These practices have denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits”.

The project that was unofficially released to all the audiences, seems to be looked upon from scratch to improve all the disadvantages that now the Android OS faces. That’s a very ambitious timeline, especially considering the rumor that Google CEO Sundar Pichai hasn’t even signed off on this direction yet.

Being pre-installed, the commission says can create a status quo bias. A huge contingent of independent developers and device makers, such as Samsung, Huawei and LG, rely on the operating system.

It’s also possible not much will change.

The argument is that by giving consumers a whole bunch of stuff together, like the Chrome web browser, Gmail and Google search, consumers are being harmed.

It is the largest antitrust fine ever levied by the European authorities on competition issues from the same company.

In his latest tweet, he hailed Google as one of America’s “great companies” and then hinted that he would retaliate against the European Union for “taking advantage” of the US.

The experience of Microsoft, which was forced by the European Union to give users a choice of browsers on Windows computers (it was fined twice for not doing so) shows that letting people decide for themselves creates a level playing field for competition.

Android is “open source”, meaning that device makers can use it free of charge and customize it as they wish. The fine, after all, is for “abusing the dominance of its Android mobile operating system”. A year ago it ordered Google to pay €2.42 billion for abusing its dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to Google’s own comparison shopping service.

Neither fine will cripple the company.

It’s uncertain what Trump has planned for the future, but his comment follows the decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium in trade with the EU. Apple is more effective at keeping competitors out: Its Safari browser holds nearly the same market share as its iOS operating system.

For its part, Google argues that consumers can still download other apps if they desire.

Another 2017 article from Digital Trends revealed that Google has also made Fuchsia compatible with Apple Inc.’s Swift programming language, though it’s not clear why. Vestager called the compatibility argument a “smokescreen”. We guess he will be a lot happier when his chum Putin takes over the European Union and he will not have to worry about it. There have been mixed reactions about the occurrence; some people are busy criticizing Google over the apparent “criminal defamation” of the President while others are laughing and trolling Trump along with members of the former group.