Google says that agreements with partners are “entirely voluntary” – Digital Journal

Google today contested the claims of the European Commission for abuse of its dominant position, noting that the agreements with partners “are entirely voluntary.”

“Anyone can use Android without Google” , says senior vice president and general counsel of the company, Kent Walker said in a statement.

the European Commission has accused Google of abusing its dominant position, by restrictions imposed on the Android device manufacturers and Mobile network operators in breach of the rules on competition

the Brussels position is presented in a statement of objections today addressed to Google and its parent company, the Alphabet -. which have now 12 weeks to exercise their right of defense and respond – constitute a preliminary opinion of the European Commission, made a year after the EU executive has initiated a lawsuit against Google because of its conduct in relation to the operating system and Android applications.

“Any manufacturer can choose to load a Google application set on your device and freely add other applications. For example, today’s mobile phones come loaded with the many pre-installed applications (Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Google, mobile operators and many more), “states Kent Walker.

” Try. You can download the entire operating system for free, modify it the way you want and create a mobile phone. Big companies like Amazon do it, “he said yet.

We remember that in 2007 released the Android operating system for free and open access, allowing manufacturers and developers used the ‘software’ and altered as required.

“we take very seriously these concerns [the European Commission], but we also believe that our business model keeps costs low manufacturers and provides them with a high flexibility, while gives consumers unprecedented control over their mobile devices, “consider.

Kent Walker cautions, however, that while Android is free for manufacturers to use is quite costly to develop, improve, keep it safe and defend it in patent lawsuits.

“offer Android for free and part of our costs are offset by revenues that we generate with our Google applications and services distributed through the Android, “said

.” it’s simple and easy for users to personalize their devices and unload their applications – including applications that compete directly with ours. The popularity of applications like Spotify, WhatsApp, Angry Birds, Instagram, Snapchat and many others show how easy it is for users to run applications they like, “he added.

In the current phase of the procedure, European Commission considers that Google has a dominant position in the general research services markets on the Internet, operating systems of smart mobile devices subject to licensing and application stores for mobile operating system Android.

According to the opinion preliminary Commission, Google implemented a strategy for mobile devices designed to preserve and strengthen its dominant position as regards the general search services on the Internet.

first, says the Commission these practices mean that “Google search is pre-installed and set as the default search service, or unique, in most Android devices sold in Europe.”

Second, indicates the executive , “these practices appear to prevent access to the market for competing search engines, through mobile browsers and competing operating systems” and “still seem to harm consumers because stifle competition and inhibit innovation in the broader mobile universe.”

Digital Diary with Lusa