Google announced that users may choose an alternative search engine to Google.com on new Android smartphones. Now users will be asked to select a default search engine and it can be other than Google.
Google will let users to choose an alternative search engine in Android
Google has announced the results of its list of alternative search engines for its mobile operating system, Android. Earlier, smartphones on Android used a search from Google, which the European Commission recognized as a monopoly and demanded that users be given a choice.
The European Commission ruled that Google “imposed illegal restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators to cement its dominant position in general internet search”, and fined Google $5 billion for the antitrust action.
Companies want to be listed on Android alternative search engines has to win an auction made by Google
Starting from March, new Android smartphones will offer users to choose one of four default search engines. The proposed items will depend on the country. And the most popular alternative is expected to be DuckDuckGo. You can also choose from GMX, Info.com, Qwant, Yandex and PrivacyWall. UK users will also be offered Microsoft Bing.
The list of these search engines is not fixed, Google will update search engines every four months. The ‘winners’ will be determined in an auction, with places in the drop-down menu going to the highest bidders for each EU country.
Still no free choice, the highest bidder takes it
Yet, some search engine companies consider the new process to be another form of exploitation of Google’s dominant position. Representatives of the search service Ecolia, which planted trees at the expense of their earnings, say that users deserve a free choice of search engine used on their tablets and phones. They do not agree that the list of alternative search engines being determined by Google.
