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EU: Vestager says Android antitrust probe ‘advancing’

 |  April 19, 2018

While Google’s appeal of the US$2.9 billion fine imposed by the European Commission in 2017 makes its way forward, EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager told colleagues that the other two antitrust cases against Google were “advancing.” according to a report from Reuters.

The EC opened its investigation into Android in 2015, following a complaint two years earlier from the lobbying group FairSearch.

A 2016 document seen by Reuters said the EU competition enforcer planned to levy a large fine against the company and would order it to stop giving revenue-sharing payments to smartphone makers to pre-install only Google Search. It is also expected to tell the company, a unit of Alphabet, to stop requiring Google’s Chrome browser and other apps to be installed alongside Google’s Play store.

In the AdSense case, Google was accused of blocking rivals in online search advertising in 2016.

Europe’s antitrust chief was quoted by Reuters as saying on Wednesday, April 19, that its Android and AdSense investigations are “advancing.”

“We are advancing on our two cases involving Google, both the Android case and the AdSense case,” European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager was quoted as telling EU lawmakers.

Full Content: Reuters

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