Google being investigated by Russian competition watchdog over Android

Anti-monopoly authority confirms investigation following complaints from competitor Yandex, alleging company abuses smartphone operating system domination

Russia's competition watchdog has confirmed that it is investigating Google over allegedly abusing its domination of Android smartphone software on phones made by third party manufacturers

The watchdog opened the case to assess whether Google has violated Russian anti-monopoly laws after reviewing a complaint from Russia's biggest search company Yandex. It has complained that Android's default search is Google and that the mobile software includes a bundle of Google apps

"We have studied the complaint and decided to open proceedings regarding the violation of anti-monopoly regulation," a spokeswoman for the Russian federal anti-monopoly service(FAS) watchdog said

"Device makers are free to install the apps they choose and consumers always have complete control over the apps on their devices," said a Google spokesperson

Yandex has a 60% share of the Russian search market, and offers rival services to Google's YouTube, Maps, Gmail, Chrome Browser and Translate. Three smartphone vendors in Russia - Prestige, Fly and Explay - were blocked from pre-installing Yandex services on their Android devices last year.

Terms of use for Google's version of Android, which comes with access to its app store, place restrictions on what manufacturers can install by default on their devices, and conditions on placement of Google apps and services on the smartphone and tablets

Spokespeople form Google's Russian office denied anti-competitive behaviour

Android held an 81.2% global market share in 2014 according to research firm Strategy Analytics, with Apple's iOS securing 15% of the market and Microsoft's Windows Phone 3%

Android is available in several versions. An open source version called the Android Open Source Project(AOSP) is available for anyone to use without restriction and forms the basis of Amazon's Fire OS, Xiaomi's Miui and many others, but it does not come with access to Google's Play Store

Google's version of Android is also based on AOSP, but comes integrated with Google's services

The Russian investigation comes after European regulators assess a possible challenge to Google's mobile software business

European regulators are laying the groupwork for a case centred on whether Google abuses the 80% market share of Android to promote services from maps to search, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said

The European Commission has reportedly sent handset makers questionnaires asking whether there was a requirement set by Google that they should not pre-install apps, products or services on mobile devices that compete with Google software such as its search engine, app store and maps

Google is also under scrutiny in the US, although a judge said in December she would require consumers suing Google over Android to submit more factual details in order for an antitrust lawsuit to proceed

in order for an antitrust lawsuit to proceed

to submit more factual details

suing Google over Android to submit more factual details

a judge said in December she would require consumers suing Google over Android to submit more factual details

is also under scrutiny in the US

compete with Google software such as its search engine

asking whether there was a requirement set by Google that they should not pre-install apps

has reportedly sent handset makers questionnaires

two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said

to promote services from maps to search

are laying the groupwork for a case centred on whether Google abuses the 80% market share of Android

the russian investigation comes after European regulators assess a possible challenge to Google's mobile software business

does not come with access to Google's Play Store

forms the basis of Amazon's FIre OS

is available for anyone to use without restriction

is available in several versions

with Apple's iOS securing 15% of the market

according to research firm Strategy Analytics

held an 81.2% global market share in 2014

conditions on placement of Google appes

place restrictions on what manufacturers can install by default on their devices

comes with access to its app store

terms of use for Google's version of Android

were blocked from pre-installing Yandex services

three smartphone vendors in Russia

offers rival services to Google's YouTube

a spokeswoman for the Russian federal anti-monopoly service watchdog said

regarding the violation of anti-monopoly regulation

decided to open proceedings

have studied the complaint and decided to open proceedings

includes a bundle of Google apps

has complained that Android's default search is Google

after reviewing a complaint from Russia's beggest search company

opened the case to assess whether Google has violated Russian anti-monopoly laws

made by third party manufacturers

has confirmed that it is investigating Google over allegedly abusing its domination of Android smartphone software on phones

alleging company abuses smartphone operating system domination

Anti-monopoly authority confirms investigation following complaints from competitor Yandex

being investigated by Russian competition watchdog over Android