Google starts offering browser and search engine choice in Android in Europe

Google will start offering a browser and search engine choice to users in Europe in the coming weeks. That happens on new Android devices, but also on existing ones, says the search giant.

Users will see windows with different alternatives per country with Install buttons next to them, Google says. The search giant also shows screenshots. The browser selection screen in Android is a result of consultations with the European Commission after the Commission’s complaint in 2016. It has been known for some time that Google would offer users the choice.

The implementation may change in the near future, the American company says. The move is a result of a billion-dollar fine. In July 2018, the EU antitrust regulator fined €4.3 billion for Google abusing its dominant position over Android, according to the Commission. The Commission also mentioned the violation that Google requires its Search app and the Chrome browser to be pre-installed on Android devices. The Commission found that to restrict competition, because users are more likely to continue using these apps.

Google announces that it is making adjustments to Android, in the form of adjusting the licensing model for Google apps for Android devices. This means that there will be separate licenses for Google Play, the Chrome browser and for Google Search. With this, Google says it wants to comply with the objections of the Commission.