The European competition authorities are investigating the activities of the app marketplace Google Play. This is according to the quarterly report of the Google parent company Alphabet. “In May 2022, the European Commission and the UK competition authority CMA each launched a formal investigation into Google Play’s business practices,” it said.
The investigation could lead to a further $1 billion fine against the American tech giant. Over the past decade, Google has been fined a total of €8.25 billion (€8.23 billion) in EU antitrust fines following three investigations into its business practices. The EU antitrust authority was initially unavailable for comment.
Payment System Dispute in Play Store
EU antitrust authorities are investigating whether Google’s threat to remove apps from the Play Store if the app developer uses a payment system other than Google’s has harmed developers, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters in August. Developers have repeatedly criticized the fees Google and Apple charge in the app stores for their smartphone operating systems as excessive.
Separately, Google announced on Thursday that it would appeal to the highest European court against a record fine of 4.1 billion euros. A lower court dismissed the company’s complaint last month. The Luxembourg-based court broadly supported the Commission’s 2018 decision, but reduced the fine from €4.34 billion to €4.125 billion. “We are preparing our profession. The court deadline is December 1, a Google spokesperson said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
