Google will have to open up Android and Search data to rivals under new EU specifications
The European Union has ordered Google to remove restrictions on its Android operating system and share search data with competitors to ensure fair market competition. These measures, part of the Digital Markets Act, are set to take effect between 2027 and 2028.
Why it matters
This represents a significant regulatory move to curb the dominance of big tech companies in the AI and search engine markets.
Europe’s antitrust regulator has ordered Google to remove all restrictions in its Android operating system that limit competitors from building Gemini rival products. The watchdog has also told the Silicon Valley giant to share search data with rival search engines.
The matter has been the source of a multi-year disagreement between the tech giant and the European Union regulator, with the former focused on protecting its business while the latter insists on an even playing field for all rivals.
The first specification measures are designed to make sure that rival AI companies can compete with Google’s AI services (such as Gemini) via Android devices. Meanwhile, the second specification measures are aimed at giving third-party search engines access to search data that only Google Search could collect at scale.
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