Microsoft 2: Google Bugaloo - Android to offer alternative browser and search selection for EU users

[rcmaehl]

Source:
Mashable

 

Summary:
Similar to the 10 year old case during which IE had the dominant market share, Google is now being forced the same decision pressed upon Microsoft in the EU, to offer alternatives.

Media:

 

Quotes/Excerpts:

Quote

Android users in the EU will soon be offered a choice of browsers and alternative search engines on their devices. The European Commission (EC) slapped Google with a record $5 billion fine in July 2018 for stifling browser and search engine competition. Google's SVP of Global Affairs Kent Walker said the company will "do more to ensure that Android phone owners know about the wide choice of browsers and search engines available to download to their phones." Owners of both existing and new Android devices will be asked which browser and search apps they want to use. Android users have "always been able to install any search engine or browser," but there's a difference between having Google's search engine and Chrome browser pre-installed as default and just letting users find alternatives on their own, and actively providing customers with a choice. Google's solution to the EC's complaints echo a 10-year old decision by Microsoft, which provided Windows 7 users with a "browser ballot" solution following an EC fine. Walker also pointed out that the company had made several other changes following the fine from the EC: It changed the licensing model for the Google apps on Android phones, and created separate licenses for Google Play, Chrome and Google Search. This made it possible for phone manufacturers to pre-install alternative apps on Android phones, something the EC put a big emphasis on in its July decision. Google says it will implement these changes "over the next few months."

 

My Thoughts:
Google is really just repeating, and amplifying Microsoft's mistakes now that it has majority market share. Although considering alternative browsers are usually downloaded from the Google play store... which requires an Google account, it will be interesting to see how the alternative browsers are distributed. Will it only be the major browsers, or all the browsers listed on the Google Play store as well? What about browsers not on the Google Play store? This will be interesting to see how Google implements this.

[GoodBytes]

Google... The old Microsoft.

It's like Steve Ballmer is the CEO of Google.

 

[ScratchCat]

Finally! Now make this the global standard.

 

Quote

Now we’ll also do more to ensure that Android phone owners know about the wide choice of browsers and search engines available to download to their phones. This will involve asking users of existing and new Android devices in Europe which browser and search apps they would like to use.

Was this on their own accord or were they forced to do this? The article and blog posts aren't clear about this.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

51 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Was this on their own accord or were they forced to do this? The article and blog posts aren't clear about this.

It was either that or another multi-billion dollar fine.

[Drak3]

Does the EU do anything besides meddle in business affairs that it has no justification for meddling in?

[duncannah]

Do they think people are just too dumb to go download another browser

[Drak3]

3 minutes ago, duncannah said:

Do they think people are just too dumb to go download another browser

Basically, yes.

[AlTech]

Yay! I'll finally be able to uninstall Chrome on my Samsung devices because currently I am not able to. The workaround I've used is just to disable it but it's so annoying to still have it.

 

Also, forcing 3rd party apps to be installed on Phones should not be allowed. I really don't want Facebook installed on my phone. Please let me uninstall it without requiring root.

[Teddy07]

6 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Does the EU do anything besides meddle in business affairs that it has no justification for meddling in?

And preventing innovation with the new data protection law while at the same time annoying citizens because they have to agree to even more now. Every website I visit for the first time asks now about my permission for data protection in addition to asking for cookies.

 

 

 

[Chett_Manly]

Why does Android have to do this and not Apple? At least Android lets you get software from someplace not Google without rooting your device.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Does the EU do anything besides meddle in business affairs that it has no justification for meddling in?

Lots of free trade

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, Chett_Manly said:

Why does Android have to do this and not Apple? At least Android lets you get software from someplace not Google without rooting your device.

Ah be careful on something. Rooting is not considered a feature. As it isn't an option in the OS.  You are going out of your way to unlock the phone capabilities set by the phone manufactures, and deepening on the phone manufacture, this most likely breaking the phone manufacture and your phone carrier license agreement. I know it isn't an issue with Google own phones, HTC and I think Sony if I recall correctly (maybe others too), but for other manufactures it isn't permitted. And again carriers might impose restrictions. When I say carrier imposes restrictions, I mean for phones that you get from them, and not fully purchase yourself. Although, some carrier might put in their service policy banning users who root their phones (if they find out... which they don't actually care, as they like money... but doesn't want to provide support for you, and if any  activity that affects their network is detected, it gives them an easy way out to cut you out). In any case, one can argue that as long it is not an option in the Settings panel to unlock/root your phone it can't be considered a feature, and should be considered as locked down.

[Drak3]

2 minutes ago, floofer said:

Lots of free trade

So then the answer is no.

[TetraSky]

I hope it will only be a few trustworthy major browser. If it was all of them, people wouldn't know what to make of them. I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of people who didn't know any better would just get a "browser" that's basically a clone of a clone of a clone, designed solely to spy on you and steal your info by some foreign entity. 

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

So then the answer is no.

People with a BCom would know 

[Blademaster91]

10 hours ago, Chett_Manly said:

Why does Android have to do this and not Apple? At least Android lets you get software from someplace not Google without rooting your device.

Most likely because of the market share, though what Apple forces other browsers to do on iOS is worse, every other browser is still webkit but with a different UI skin.

[williamcll]

Sure, I'll give Fennec a try.

[Doobeedoo]

I remember when this was on Windows that web browser selection window. Never cared or saw the point of it. Could just download easily what I wanted. Was coo it showed some preview though. 

[Trixanity]

This is for the casual users who don't bother go beyond the defaults unless presented with alternatives. Is it bad to just stick with the defaults? Not necessarily but if all your apps are the defaults you gain a lot of power automatically by virtue of controlling every aspect of the user experience and the data it provides.

 

I'd say in certain countries Apple would be the 'dominant' entity, not Google. In my country I'd guesstimate that Apple holds 55% market share. Phone market that is. 

[rcmaehl]

11 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

quick question: does the generic web renderer (or webapps) on android depend on chrome? o_o i feel like removing chrome would be pretty pointless (possibly either they'll follow apple and hide default apps instead of removing them, or webapps striaght up stop working after actual removal)

It's called Webview, and "does it depend on chrome" is both a yes and no answer.

 

From google:

Quote

Chrome for Android is separate from WebView. They're both based on the same code, including a common JavaScript engine and rendering engine. 

For the most part, features that work in Chrome for Android should work in the new WebView.

 

Basically it's dependent on Chrome/Chromium's source code if you compile it from scratch, but as compiled apps (.apks), it doesn't.

[yian88]

LoL 5Bil $, EU is getting rich by just slapping fines left and right on free market abuse and anti-competitive practices. We could use some of those EU funds from google to build highways in Romania.... oh wait our gov refused free EU funds for that....

 

I have 3 or 4 browsers on my phone, but i get it most people i know have no idea what a browser is, or what android is or what an OS is, even though they use android phone for the 5+ years, wow... so sad, all this school system is pointless people cant point their country on a map and have no clue what an OS/browser is in 2019, and these are young people... wow.

In conclusion EU fines google because people are too dumb to find another browser?