Two-year confrontation between the Federal Antimonopoly service and Google ended in a settlement agreement approved by the court. The American Corporation has made concessions by making its Android operating system is free, and now all developers of application s for Android devices (for example, “Yandex” and Mail.ru Group) will qualify for a spot on the home screen of mobile devices.
In 2016, the FAS found Google abusing its dominant position in the market of app stores on Android on the complaint of “Yandex”. Since then the search giant fought for his innocence and appealed against all decisions of the FAS in court.
The settlement agreement concluded on 6 years and 9 months and provides that Google will fully comply with the original order of the FAS. So, Google at 81 months refuses exclusivity preinstall their apps on Android devices in Russia. The company must not interfere with the pre-application of other developers on new gadgets. In addition, the American Corporation will not encourage manufacturers of smartphones and tablets to bet Google only default.
In addition, the settlement agreement contains a number of provisions, which was not originally envisaged in the order of the FAS. For example, Google will develop a “selection window” applications. The user of the new gadget on Android when you first start it will be able to choose which browser he use.
“The user will not be able to pass by the window, he will be required to choose. This is a very short path to the consumer, showing that apart from Google there are other app makers”, — explained to journalists the head of Department of regulation of communications and IT of the FAS Elena zaeva.
Also the settlement agreement affects existing Android devices that are “hands on” users. As for the new gadgets Google will allow you to select search engine by default in its Chrome browser and in the search widget. After the upgrade, users of Android smartphones will see “window selection” with several options search engine.
Google will be obliged within 60 days to consider applications from other companies to include their search engine in this “window of choice”.
Russian authorities have decided not to reduce the penalty to Google for violation of antitrust laws, although usually the FAS reduces the financial penalty imposed at the conclusion of the “world”. Google will pay all fines in full — the main fine of 438 million rubles (9% of the company’s turnover in 2014 in a market where the infringement was established) and two fined 500,000 RUB for failure to fulfill the requirements.
“Today is a big day for Russian Internet users. Google has agreed to several steps that will make the Android platform more open Russia”, – commented the General Director of “Yandex” Arkady Volozh.
He stressed that now “millions of Russian Android users will be able to choose how to use search on their mobile device.”
