THE Court of Justice of the European Union upheld a €4.1 billion fine against Google for abusing its dominant position in the Android market through restrictive licensing practices. The ruling confirmed that Google coerced device manufacturers into pre-installing its apps and preventing them from using alternative search engines. This decision follows a long legal battle stemming from a 2018 conclusion by the European Commission, which initially fined Google over €4.3 billion.
The fine was slightly reduced after a General Court review, but the latest ruling dismissed Google's appeal, affirming the legality of the Commission's findings and reinforcing the scrutiny of dominant tech platforms under EU competition law. Google expressed disappointment over the ruling and stated its intention to review the judgment.