Google Accused Of Using Android OS As Trojan Horse
Microsoft, Nokia and a selection of other companies have filed a complaint with the European Commission over Google's "anti-competitive" mobile strategy.
The companies are all members of FairSearch, a group which campaigns against what it sees as instances of Google abusing its search monopoly. In this case, the "predatory" practice of offering its Android mobile operating system free of charge while requiring prominent default placement of Google's own apps.
"Google is using its Android mobile operating system as a Trojan horse to deceive partners, monopolise the mobile marketplace, and control consumer data," said Thomas Vinje, legal counsel for theFairSearch coalition.
"We are asking the Commission to move quickly and decisively to protect competition and innovation in this critical market. Failure to act will only embolden Google to repeat its desktop abuses of dominance as consumers increasingly turn to a mobile platform dominated by Google's Android operating system."
According to FairSearch, Google managed to achieve marketplace dominance with Android by offering the OS free of charge to smartphone makers. But the cost of including particular Google apps -- YouTube and Maps, for example -- require you to "pre-load an entire suite of Google mobile services and to give them prominent default placement on the phone". The complaint adds that this practice gives Google control over consumer data on the majority of smartphones.
Google is already being scrutinised by the European Commission over concerns that the company is prioritising its own products and services in search results.
