Google must pay €4.1bn fine for using Android to 'block' rivals
✓Europe's top court has ruled Google must pay a €4.1bn (£3.5bn) fine handed down for using its Android mobile operating system to block rivals.
The European Commission had originally handed out a €4.3bn (then £3.9bn) fine in 2018, but this was trimmed to €4.1 bn in 2022. An appeal brought by the tech giant has now been dismissed.
It is the largest penalty the Commission has ever imposed against Google.
A Google spokesperson said the judgement "fails to recognise" the firm's "significant investment to ensure Android remains open, interoperable and free".
"In any event, we adapted our agreements to comply with the initial decision back in 2018 and we remain focused on continued innovation and openness for our users, partners and developers," they continued.
When the fine was first announced in 2018, it was alleged there were three ways in which Google had acted illegally:
requiring Android handset and tablet manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search app and its own web browser Chrome as a condition of allowing them to offer access to its Play app store
making payments to large manufacturers and mobile network operators that agreed to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app on their devices
preventing manufacturers from selling any smart devices powered by alternative "forked" versions of Android by threatening to refuse them permission to pre-install its apps
It was acknowledged that Google's version of Android does not prevent device owners downloading alternative web browsers or using other search engines.
Google's chief executive Sundar Pichai blogged in response, external at the time to the original fine that the decision "rejects the business model that supports Android, which has created more choice for everyone, not less."
This is not the first case brought against Google and its parent company Alphabet by the European Commission.
In September 2024 it ruled Google must pay a €2.4bn (£2bn) fine handed down for abusing the market dominance of its shopping-comparison service.
Then in September 2025, it fined the search giant €2.95bn (£2.5bn), finding it had breached competition laws by favouring its own products for displaying online ads, to the detriment of rivals.
The fine is not the largest ever imposed on Google, however.
In October 2024 a charge was brought against the firm by a Russian court for restricting Russian state media channels on YouTube.
The fine was for two undecillion roubles - more than the world's total GDP.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · Sky News ↗
Europe's highest court has confirmed a €4.1bn fine against Google over practices related to its Android operating system. The European Commission originally issued a €4.3bn fine in 2018, later reduced to €4.1bn in 2022. Google's appeal against this decision has been dismissed. The fine addresses three practices: requiring device manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome as a condition of Play Store access, paying manufacturers to exclusively pre-install Google Search, and preventing use of alternative Android versions. Google states it has complied with the initial decision since 2018 and maintains Android remains open and free. The company notes that users can still download alternative browsers and search engines. This represents the Commission's largest single penalty against Google, though the company has faced other European fines in recent years related to shopping comparison services and online advertising practices.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · Sky News ↗
Europe's top court has ruled Google must pay a €4.1bn (£3.5bn) fine handed down for using its Android mobile operating system to block rivals.
The European Commission had originally handed out a €4.3bn (then £3.9bn) fine in 2018, but this was trimmed to €4.1 bn in 2022. An appeal brought by the tech giant has now been dismissed.
It is the largest penalty the Commission has ever imposed against Google.
A Google spokesperson said the judgement "fails to recognise" the firm's "significant investment to ensure Android remains open, interoperable and free".
"In any event, we adapted our agreements to comply with the initial decision back in 2018 and we remain focused on continued innovation and openness for our users, partners and developers," they continued.
When the fine was first announced in 2018, it was alleged there were three ways in which Google had acted illegally:
requiring Android handset and tablet manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search app and its own web browser Chrome as a condition of allowing them to offer access to its Play app store
making payments to large manufacturers and mobile network operators that agreed to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app on their devices
preventing manufacturers from selling any smart devices powered by alternative "forked" versions of Android by threatening to refuse them permission to pre-install its apps
It was acknowledged that Google's version of Android does not prevent device owners downloading alternative web browsers or using other search engines.
Google's chief executive Sundar Pichai blogged in response, external at the time to the original fine that the decision "rejects the business model that supports Android, which has created more choice for everyone, not less."
This is not the first case brought against Google and its parent company Alphabet by the European Commission.
In September 2024 it ruled Google must pay a €2.4bn (£2bn) fine handed down for abusing the market dominance of its shopping-comparison service.
Then in September 2025, it fined the search giant €2.95bn (£2.5bn), finding it had breached competition laws by favouring its own products for displaying online ads, to the detriment of rivals.
The fine is not the largest ever imposed on Google, however.
In October 2024 a charge was brought against the firm by a Russian court for restricting Russian state media channels on YouTube.
The fine was for two undecillion roubles - more than the world's total GDP.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · Sky News ↗
Europe's top court ruled Google must pay a €4.1bn fine for practices related to Android The original €4.3bn fine from 2018 was reduced to €4.1bn in 2022 Google required device makers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome to access the Play Store Google made payments to manufacturers and operators to exclusively pre-install Google Search Google prevented manufacturers from selling devices with alternative 'forked' Android versions Users can download alternative browsers and search engines on Android devices Google's business model supports Android and creates choice rather than limiting it The judgement fails to recognise Google's investment in keeping Android open and interoperable This is the largest penalty the Commission has ever imposed against Google
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · Sky News ↗
- Europe's top court upheld a €4.1bn fine against Google for using Android to block competitors
- The fine relates to Google's practice of requiring device makers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome to access its Play app store
- This is the largest penalty the European Commission has imposed on Google; the company has adapted its agreements to comply since 2018