Brussels would definitely not including : ” Android has not harmed competition, but the favored. “ This sentence, after an article posted Thursday on its blog post by Kent Walker, vice-president of Google, sums up the response that has just brought the american giant to the european Commission… and the extent of their disagreement. Brussels accuses the us giant of abusing the dominant position of its open source operating system Android, which team more than eight mobile phones in ten of the world.
Google is playing big : the firm has achieved in the past year, 11 billion dollars of advertising revenue on mobile and more than half of all Web traffic takes place on mobile, a share that has increased. His line of defense for Android is in the same vein as the one presented at the beginning of November for Google Shopping and AdSense, also accused by the EU for abuse of dominant position (” Les Echos ” of 4 November) : Brussels based its accusations on a sighted and wrong of the ecosystem and the role played by the california firm.
Brussels accuses him of forcing manufacturers of phones and tablets to install a part of its own ecosystem on Android ? That certainely : ” A manufacturer has no obligation. We offer a suite that allows users to access to the basic tools they expect to find. The competitors of Android, iPhone or Windows Phone, make [...] the same thing. A user can remove any application when it wants to. And there is nothing to prevent manufacturers and operators to pre-install their own applications. There is no lock from market ,” retorted Kent Walker.
Vestager determined
Google oblige manufacturers to use its version of Android, preventing the development of alternative versions ? Bad analysis : ” The Commission had under-estimated the dangers that the fragmentation [that is inherent in the open source, editor's NOTE] would expose the mobile ecosystem. Our agreements of compatibility, based on volunteerism, provide to developers that their applications will work seamlessly on thousands of models. the They can stimulate the competition between Android devices, but also with the iPhone and maintain a healthy ecosystem for developers. “ Conclusion : ” The Android ecosystem balances carefully the interests of users, developers, manufacturers and operators. “A challenge this balance, Brussels might” send signal-promoting ecosystem closed rather than open… It would mean less innovation, choice and competition, and higher prices “.
In support, Google points out, finally, that, far from crippling the market, Android would have doped, allowing the production of cheap smartphones accessible to the greatest number and the growth of ” an unparalleled choice of applications.”
Remains that this defense should not save Google, as Margrethe Vestager, commissioner for Competition, shows determination and wants to be in possession of a folder in concrete. The firm is liable to a fine of an amount up to 10% of its turnover.
Derek Perrotte, Les Echos
Office Brussels
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