According to the fine reasoning, Google “pushed Chrome and Google apps in general onto users by having it preinstalled on their devices”. How is Microsoft’s Windows different?
[The context behind the fine for Google by the EU](https://www.npr.org/2018/07/18/630030673/eu-hits-google-with-5-billion-fine-for-pushing-apps-on-android-users?t=1580538285972).
In: Technology
Microsoft creates N and KN versions of Windows which are stripped of their first party apps to comply with EU and South Korea regulation, respectively.
[Microsoft was fined for the practice in 2009 and again in 2013 for breaking the original agreement:](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/06/technology/europe-expected-to-levy-big-fine-against-microsoft.html)
Since Google “makes” (controls) Android, they were forcing phone manufacturers to include Chrome and Google Search App, or telling them they wouldn’t allow them to license Android … or more specifically the core non-open source parts of Android that Android is pretty useless without.
As far as I know, bing isn’t actually installed and you have to have some browser to download your browser of choice. If I had to guess, it’s that Google had truly unnecessary things installed that couldn’t be readily uninstalled. Windows is right on the line with Cortana and other things, but hasn’t crossed over it yet.
Microsoft was fined and they made a website to offer users an alternative browser:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrowserChoice.eu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrowserChoice.eu)
You might not be aware that in the US and Europe, Microsoft was in trouble for the same thing. Microsoft had bundled Microsoft Internet Explorer with Windows to the detriment of other browsers, resulting in a near monopoly for Internet Explorer — something hard to imagine now that Chrome is dominant.
But also keep in mind, it isn’t *necessarily* illegal to bundle services and apps. Whether you have a monopoly, and whether you’re abusing that monopoly, and whether your actions constitute predatory dealing (among other things) are nuances of law and seldom clear cut.
Part of the case against Google is that they were giving away Android to suppress operating system competitors while then *also* abusing that monopoly to push Google products. To EU regulators, that went over the line, but if Google had stronger competition in the mobile space, it may not have.
Micorsoft was fined too ( [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21684329](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21684329) ). I think they got around it in future versions by allowing and promoting other browsers, but don’t quote me on that.
Here’s some more food for thought. When you buy windows, even if you have the us version, you. An always uninstall the apps. All you want. Nothing will stop you. On android, when google, verizon, sprint, tmobile, apple and others put pre installed software on your phone they do it as a system app, and you cannot remove them. You may disable them, but they are still there. So if anything they all need to be fined for selling OS with malware…
[Microsoft has lost a case on this before](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A62004TJ0201), read it if you have a free afternoon and youll understand the way the ECJ deals with this.
Microsoft got in trouble for having Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player pre-installed too. They were fined and had to include a browser choice window in their installer.
Honestly your question should have been why Google and Microsoft got fined while Apple is doing the same things but didn’t get fined. Or why this is apparently an issue on desktop computers and laptops but not on smartphones, which come pre-installed with a load of software…
Because you can uninstall them? I can’t uninstall Gmail or Chrome on my phone. I have no idea. Just guessing.
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