Japan clamps down on Google's Android app pre-install offers

There's one other growth within the saga that’s governments accusing Google of monopolistic practices favoring its search app and Chrome. The Japan Honest Commerce Fee (JFTC) has issued a cease and desist order to Google, demanding the tech firm finish all efforts to realize preferential therapy on Android telephones.

The watchdog alleges that Google required telephone makers to preinstall Chrome and Google Search on Android telephones — together with setting Chrome because the default browser. It additionally claims they needed to place the icons for every app on the house display. This association got here because of the tech company's power as supplier of the Google Play app ecosystem, which Android producers want to put in earlier than distribution.

Nonetheless, the JFTC additional claims that Google sweetened the deal, agreeing to offer these telephone producers a slice of its advert income. As of final December, six Android telephone producers allegedly had these offers with Google. These preparations have been ongoing since not less than July 2020, if not earlier.

The JFTC's choice follows an investigation, opened in October 2023. It comes the identical week as a Japanese delegation, led by Economic system Minister Ryosei Akazawa, will visit the US to negotiate tariffs.

The US has expressed comparable issues to Japan. Final November, US federal choose Amit Mehta known as Google "a monopolist" throughout the search engine business and known as on the corporate to dump Chrome. An evidentiary hearing on the matter is about to start later this month, with a trial commencing in Might.

This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/japan-clamps-down-on-googles-android-app-pre-install-deals-130050220.html?src=rss

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