Google will most likely have to pay a 4 billion euro fine for abusing its power with the Android ecosystem. After appeal, the 2018 ruling is upheld.
The European Commission in 2018 imposed a fine of 4.3 billion euros on Google. Google was found guilty of abusing its power with Android by requiring smartphone manufacturers to install its search engine along with the Chrome browser and the Play Store. A strategy that has paid off well for Google, but for which it is now being presented with the bill.
Google appealed, and seven years after the ruling, the European court in Luxembourg has upheld the fine. The competent court agrees with the ruling that Google has abused its market dominance. The fine is slightly adjusted to 4.1 billion euros, in line with a ruling after Google’s first appeal in 2022.
Too Little Too Late
With this, the legal process is still not over. This ruling is more of an advice: the final say is for the Supreme Court, although it would be very unusual if it were to dismiss all fines now. After a long delay, there is no more reprieve for Google, and it will have to pay the fine.
A fine will no longer have much effect. Google’s dominance in the mobile market has long been cemented, both with Android and with Search and Chrome. A fine would have been woefully late even in 2018, let alone in 2025.
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Since then, Google has made some concessions, such as a choice screen for the default browser and search engine. After the 2018 ruling, Google threatened that without bundling with its own services, it would not be able to offer Android for free, but this threat has not been followed through.
Nevertheless, Google is facing increasing headwinds, even in its own country. In the United States, an antitrust lawsuit against Google is ongoing that could have major consequences for the company. One of the proposals is to split off Chrome and Android, although it is unlikely that Google will let it come to that without a years-long legal battle.