Google brings Android One to Europe

Google has begun expanding its Android One program to Europe, starting with the Aquaris A4.5. The super-affordable handset, which is manufactured by Spanish company BQ, is now on sale in Spain and Portugal for the first time.

Android One, which was launched last September, is designed to provide emerging markets with affordable yet capable Android devices that deliver a decent smartphone experience. That’s one of the reasons why all Android One handsets run stock Android and are updated by Google.

Until now, Android One devices have mostly been available only to those in the East, but Google has made the decision to expand its program to the West. Those living in Spain or Portugal who are interested in an Android One device can now purchase the Aquaris A4.5.

The Aquaris A4.5 is priced at €169.90 in Spain and €179.90 in Portugal (approx. $206), and is powered by a quad-core MediaTek processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. It also boasts a microSD card slot, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 4.5-inch display.

Google is also throwing in a free three-month subscription to Google Play Music, and a generous five-year guarantee.

Google Says It Has ‘Very Strong Case’ in European Antitrust Battle

A Google building at the company’s main campus in Mountain View, Calif. in 2014.

 

Alistair Barr

Google told employees Tuesday it has a “very strong case” against expected charges by European regulators that it violated antitrust law by favoring its own services in search results.

In an internal memo, Google warned employees to expect formal charges Wednesday from the European Commission over the way it displays and ranks certain search results, particularly for shopping. It also said the regulator will open a formal investigation into its Android mobile operating system on Wednesday.

In the memo, Google outlined a potential defense, saying its search engine saves consumers time by providing quicker, more direct answers to queries. The company said it faces competition from other general search services, like Apple’s Siri and Microsoft Cortana, as well as specialized search services from Amazon.com , Expedia and eBay .

The rise of mobile apps lets people access information directly, cutting Google’s search engine out of the equation. Google said seven out of every eight minutes on mobile devices is spent within apps. It cited Yelp, a major Google critic that has complained to European regulators, as an example. Yelp has said that over 40% of its traffic comes direct from its mobile app, Google noted.

“Competition online is thriving — despite what many of the complainants in this case allege,” the memo said.

The memo included charts showing steady or growing numbers of visitors to shopping sites in the U.K., Germany and France and travel sites in Germany, citing data from online-tracking firm comScore.

With respect to the Android investigation, Google said apps that compete directly with Google’s, such as Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft Office, and Expedia are easy for Android users to download and many come pre-loaded onto Android devices. The company cited the new Samsung S6 smartphone, which it said came with apps from Facebook, Microsoft, and Google pre-installed.

Europe’s Case Against Google

Europe is taking on Google, accusing the U.S. search giant of violating the bloc’s antitrust laws, charges that the company has denied. Here’s what you need to know.

1.What's the complaint against Google?

The European Commission accuses Google of giving systematic favorable treatment to its own comparison shopping service called Google Shopping in its general search results page, hindering the ability of rival comparison shopping services to compete. The commission said such conduct infringes EU antitrust rules because it stifles competition and harms consumers. The commission also opened a formal probe aimed at Google’s Android operating system for mobile phones, saying it will investigate whether Google has entered into anticompetitive agreements.

2.Why does it matter if Google does this?

Google is a huge company with products like YouTube, Maps, Gmail and maybe soon driverless cars, but search is still at the heart of its business. And Europeans overwhelmingly use Google to search the Internet—more than 90% of searches go through Google, compared with about 75% in the U.S., according to Statcounter, an analytics company. That means it has more responsibility under competition rules.

3.Hasn't this been going on forever?

The European Commission has been investigating the issue for five years. The two sides almost settled three times. Now, new leaders at the Commission aren’t negotiating a new settlement, and instead issued a formal complaint that could go to court.

4.Who's pushing for this?

Google’s competitors, including Microsoft, Yelp, Expedia, TripAdvisor and Nokia. They say Google has an unfair advantage that prohibits their products and services, like maps and search engines, from gaining traction.

5.What does Google say?

In a statement posted online, Google said it looks forward “to making our case over the weeks ahead.” Google has consistently denied any anticompetitive behavior, and said Wednesday that people can now find and access information in numerous different ways. “Allegations of harm, for consumers and competitors, have proved to be wide of the mark,” the company said in a blog post. It said there was “a ton of competition” in online shopping sites such as Amazon and eBay. Regarding the Android probe, Google said far fewer Google apps are pre-installed on Android phones than Apple apps on iOS devices.

6.What could happen to Google?

Some politicians have suggested the EU should force Google to split its search page from its other commercial functions, sometimes called unbundling. Google can now respond to the commission’s statement of objections, and try to resolve the problems out of court. If it goes to court and Google loses, the EU can fine Google up to 10% of its global annual revenue and impose conditions on how it does business in Europe. That could, experts say, have a knock-on effect on how Google operates in other jurisdictions.

7.So is this bad news for Google?

While a settlement is always possible, some say Google actually would rather this go to court—where it could be tied up for years, as Google continues to solidify its dominant position. And it could eventually win. A U.S. federal judge recently dismissed a similar case involving Android, Google’s operating system.