According to the proposal of the Australian antitrust regulator, in order to curb its monopoly, Google should be required to stop being the default search engine for mobile phones and tablets. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, referred to ACCC) on Thursday recommended that should those running Google Android operating system for mobile devices (old or new), to set a mandatory selection interface, provide users Alternative search engine providers.
The regulator is currently considering extending this requirement to Apple Inc.’s iPhone and desktop devices. The ACCC stated that it may require these technology giants to provide users with the right to choose between different Internet browsers. This proposal follows the previous antitrust tradition in Europe. Google needs to set up a selection interface on Android devices to allow users to freely choose whether to use search engine services provided by small competitors.
However, Google’s integration of its own search engine in the Android system has gone beyond basic text input, and it also assumes part of the functions of Google Assistant activated by voice. In addition, it also involves some other structural functions in the operating system. Providing a supplier selection interface is just a small step to shake Google’s industry dominance. The ACCC committee stated that Google has a 94% share of the Australian search market.
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The regulator’s measures this time are only the latest developments in the long-term plan to oppose its monopoly position. This year, Australia passed the world’s first law that forced Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google to pay publishers for news. The ACCC stated that it plans to start consultations on these proposals in the next step. Currently, Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari are the two largest search engines, pre-installed on most mobile devices in Australia.
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said: Google’s existing dominance and its commercial arrangements have greatly increased the barriers to entry in the industry and prevented the search engine products of emerging competitors from reaching consumers.