EU court upholds Google's €4.1bn fine for Android practices
Europe's top court has dismissed Google's appeal against a €4.1 billion fine related to its Android operating system. The European Commission had fined Google for using Android to block rivals.
Google has been ordered to pay a €4.1 billion (£3.5 billion) fine by Europe's General Court, which dismissed the tech giant's appeal. The European Commission originally issued the penalty in 2018, finding that Google had abused its dominant position with the Android mobile operating system to stifle competition.
The court upheld the reduced fine of €4.1 billion, first set in 2022 after an initial €4.3 billion penalty. This is the largest fine ever imposed by the European Commission on a single company.
A Google spokesperson stated the judgment "fails to recognise" the company's "significant investment to ensure Android remains open, interoperable and free." They added that Google had adapted its agreements in 2018 and remains focused on user and developer openness.
When the fine was first levied, the Commission cited three illegal practices: requiring manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome, making payments to secure exclusive pre-installation of Google Search, and preventing the sale of devices with alternative "forked" versions of Android.
This Android case is one of several anti-competition rulings against Google by EU authorities. The company has previously faced significant fines for issues related to its shopping comparison service and advertising practices.