European Court Smashes Google With $5 Billion (With a B) In Fines; Also Directs Google to Stop Bundling Its Own Services in Android OS, or Face Even More Fines

Steven Green thinks the last part is the most important:

As I wrote yesterday (linked above):

That Android phone in your pocket is a virtual spy, reporting back to Menlo Park on your every click, swipe, app, data, photo, email, physical location, etc. All in the name of showing you ads, which Google sells for a LOT of money. And it doesn't matter whether your phone is a Samsung, Huawei, LG, or one of Google's own Pixel phones. Because Google controls the default apps, which is what most people use.

Apple has spent the last couple of years touting (and improving upon) iOS's privacy features. Android phonemakers like Samsung have a hard time competing on privacy, because Google's default apps are, as I described yesterday, digital spies. But now Samsung, Huawei, LG, et al, can ditch Google's apps in favor of their own, and if they choose, take on Apple directly when it comes to protecting consumer privacy.

I'm not saying they necessarily will, but now at least they have the opportunity.

So this decision is a big win for Android OEMs, it heats up the competitive pressure on Apple (which has grown lackadaisical on some of its software quality), and gives Android owners the chance to perhaps take some of their personal privacy back from Google.

posted by Ace of Spades at 01:58 PM

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