Google will stop bundling its apps on Android phones in response to EU fine

[frahse]

A big change from Google concerning the required bundling of apps on Android phones by sellers. Phone makers can now sell forked versions of Android.

Required Google Apps

The ramifications of this could be small or very large depending on the device and it's makers intent.

[Apparition B5]

Considering Google plans to replace Android with Fuchsia in five years or so (partly thanks to the EU nonsense), this isn't that big of a deal.

[fjtorres]

Odds are, Google will now actually make a profit from Android itself.
(All from the EEA)

Forked versions will have to contend with consumer and developer expectations; Just ask Amazon about those pressures, re: FIRE OS. Peoples idea of what Android is requires most of those apps, even when the use case doesn't require them. (TVs and streamers).

As is, the two apps that Google cares about, the cash-cows Search and Chrome, will be licensed for free so any aspiring competitor will have to buy their way onto phones. Impact on Google will be minimally negative to slightly positive.

This comes way too late to have any real market impact.

Edit:
From The Verge via MSN:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/techn...pps/ar-BBOuttq

But Google hasn’t historically charged for Android because of the revenue generated by Chrome and search. So if companies choose to separate Google’s products, they may find themselves paying license fees to Google for the first time.

They ought to call it Android N-edition as a parallel to the oh-so-popular EU-only Windows N editions.

[leebase]

Google gives away Android. Manufacturer's can use a completely google app free Android...for no cost. But Google pays a big cost to make Android. What ungrateful twits.

Google has placed a realistic and fair line of profit...if you want to use Google's apps in addition to base Android, you have to use all of them and place them prominently. That's fair and reasonable.

But the Europeans want to take the Android OS for free, AND they want to use Google's apps....except the ones that make money for google. Those they want to replace with apps that make money for themselves.

I called this years ago when this issue came up. I was wrong only in thinking Google would charge for Android.

This is like when European news organizations were upset Google was making money linking to their (European news) content. So they forced Google to stop linking to their content....only to learn that nobody would go to their news sites anymore. Then they demanded Google link to their sites!

[fjtorres]

Amazon didn't need government help to produce a Google-free Android™. They just don't call it Android, which is a Google trademark. They did the necessary work to build their own appstore, their own Chrome-derived browser, their own ad network.

They seem to be doing just fine without a government bureaucracy trying to tilt the playing field for them.

[leebase]

Amazon didn't do so well with a phone...but, no matter, non of these phone manufactures wants to put in the work even Amazon did.

They want merely to charge makers "This NonGoogle Mail App" to put their mail app on the phone instead of Gmail. INSTEAD OF. They can already put both. Or they want to charge Nokia (or whoever now owns their mapping) to put Here Maps on instead of Google Maps.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by leebase

Amazon didn't do so well with a phone...but, no matter, non of these phone manufactures wants to put in the work even Amazon did.

They want merely to charge makers "This NonGoogle Mail App" to put their mail app on the phone instead of Gmail. INSTEAD OF. They can already put both. Or they want to charge Nokia (or whoever now owns their mapping) to put Here Maps on instead of Google Maps.

I don't care what was originally installed, I, as a user, not a seller, just want to be able to remove everything I don't want to use... Which I can't. But at least I can turn off what I don't want (like Chrome, hate that browser in all its forms...)

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I don't care what was originally installed, I, as a user, not a seller, just want to be able to remove everything I don't want to use... Which I can't. But at least I can turn off what I don't want (like Chrome, hate that browser in all its forms...)

This doesn't sound like it will do anything to prevent bloatware.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

This doesn't sound like it will do anything to prevent bloatware.

It is more likely will increase it to Vista-era Windows levels.
Maybe they'll do like Sony and double-dip: charge adware vendors to preinstall their bloat and charge consumers to remove it.

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I don't care what was originally installed, I, as a user, not a seller, just want to be able to remove everything I don't want to use... Which I can't. But at least I can turn off what I don't want (like Chrome, hate that browser in all its forms...)

You can but it requires a bit of technical effort.

https://www.androidsage.com/2018/08/...android-9-pie/

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It is more likely will increase it to Vista-era Windows levels.
Maybe they'll do like Sony and double-dip: charge adware vendors to preinstall their bloat and charge consumers to remove it.

Not for me. I'll just flash the phone.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Apparition B5

Considering Google plans to replace Android with Fuchsia in five years or so (partly thanks to the EU nonsense), this isn't that big of a deal.

Five years can be a lifetime in the world of mobile OSes.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

This doesn't sound like it will do anything to prevent bloatware.

No, rather the opposite I'm against this decision by the way. I see this response by Google as a way to make money so they can pay that fine.

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It is more likely will increase it to Vista-era Windows levels.
Maybe they'll do like Sony and double-dip: charge adware vendors to preinstall their bloat and charge consumers to remove it.

Actually, I bought a Sony and was surprised by the amount of bloatware on it. Amazon Store and Amazon Prime apps and AVG. That's it.

Originally Posted by sealbeater

You can but it requires a bit of technical effort.

https://www.androidsage.com/2018/08/...android-9-pie/

And the right phones. I'm not even sure Pixels are officially sold here yet...

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Actually, I bought a Sony and was surprised by the amount of bloatware on it. Amazon Store and Amazon Prime apps and AVG. That's it.

When? I'm talking of Vista-era Sony, circa 2008, not today.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/143677/article.html

Sony is offering to remove some of the trial software it crams onto the hard disks of new laptops -- for a fee.

Buyers of the configure-to-order versions of its Vaio TZ2000 and Vaio TZ2500 laptops can opt to have Sony remove the some of its own applications, in addition to trial software and games.

The "Fresh Start" option, billed as a software optimization, costs US$49.99, and is only available to customers choosing to pay an additional $100 to upgrade the operating system to Windows Vista Business from the Windows Vista Home Premium edition offered as standard.

Things got so bad, Microsoft had to introduce Signature Edition to prove the problems weren't their fault.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2887...ally-want.html

Microsoft’s Signature Editions fill an odd niche in the computing universe, offering a product that the computer manufacturers themselves don’t deliver: a “clean,” optimized PC. In effect, the Signature Edition is the Google Nexus brand of the PC world, presenting Microsoft’s operating system in the best possible light. But instead of one or two Nexus phones or tablets, Microsoft handpicks some of the best PCs: We counted sixteen mainstream laptops and eight additional gaming PCs on the site. Microsoft’s Surface PCs also ship without bloatware installed.

They also introduced the Surface line to prod lazy/sloppy OEMs to up their game. Android has been suffering by those same problems, which is why Google had to get into the hardware business, first with Nexus and then with Pixel.

Introducing even more incentive for bloatware isn't a step forward.

[GlenBarrington]

I see this idiotic ruling doing two things.

Increasing the amount of malware in the Android universe. Just look at the Chinese app market, you can bet there will be some new, poorly managed Android app stores popping up in Europe, and the people of North America are still somewhat Euro-centric in their thinking. They're gonna think, "It's coming from Britain or Germany, it's probably OK" without realizing British and German business people are every bit as big dopes as North American business people.

Making Amazon and Microsoft very happy. I'm thinking especially Microsoft. They have been "fairly" successful in promoting their own apps for Android, so far. And they're good, I use most of them, myself. the tie in with Win 10 is just too convenient to ignore, I think.

But NOW, Microsoft will be able to go to the manufacturers and offer the entire suite fo MS Android apps as a solid, well built, well-tested alternative to the Google suite of apps.

I would think a manufacturer looking for inexpensive product differentiation would find a Microsoft Android environment worth exploring. Especially so, if Microsoft offers a secure, well designed app store as well.