Users of mobile Chrome in Russia are offered to choose a search engine. Why and why

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Android users of the Chrome browser in Russia choose a search engine.

Choose a search engine? What is it like?

Like this:

A special window appears on the screen of the Android device, prompting you to select a search engine. This happens the first time you launch the Chrome mobile browser after updating to version 60.

Who invented this and why?

We will tell you everything from the very beginning. The story began in 2013 in Europe. Mobile device manufacturers have filed a complaint with the European Commission because Google was imposing its applications and services on them. In 2014, a similar situation developed in Russia. Google has banned the pre-installation of competitors' applications and services on Fly, Explay and Prestigio mobile Android devices. At the beginning of 2015, Yandex contacted the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of Russia, and it started.

Stop! Android is a free system, can Google prohibit something to someone?

Google did not ban the installation of Android, but it could prevent manufacturers from releasing mobile devices from Google Play. Who needs a smartphone or tablet without an app store?

To be eligible to use Google Play on their smartphones and tablets, mobile device manufacturers had to fulfill additional conditions: preinstall other Google applications and services, make Google the default search engine, and in some cases not cooperate with potential competitors of Google.

So what? Applications can be downloaded by yourself, and the search engine is easy to change

Not everyone knows about it and knows how to do it. It turns out that Google was imposing its own applications and services on manufacturers and, accordingly, users.

Okay, and how did the FAS react?

In February 2015, the FAS filed a case against Google, accusing it of violating the Competition Law and “abuse of dominance”. The initiative was supported by the FairSearch association, which includes companies such as Microsoft, Oracle and Nokia. FAS found Google guilty, and then litigation began, which lasted a year and a half.

How did the story end?

In April 2017, Google and the FAS entered into a settlement agreement. Google will pay a fine of 438 million rubles and will allow manufacturers of mobile devices sold in Russia to pre-install any third-party applications.

In addition, now Android users in Russia will see a special menu offering to select a search engine in the Chrome browser and in the search widget on the home screen of a mobile device.