Google loses final fight over $4.7 billion Android antitrust fine

If it feels like you’ve been hearing about Google’s multibillion-dollar Android fine in Europe forever, you’re not imagining it. The case dates back to 2018, has already gone through one partial reduction, and has been easy to confuse with Google’s other regulatory headaches. But now, one of the biggest of those fights appears to have finally run out of road.

As reported by CNBC, the European Court of Justice has dismissed Google’s appeal against a 4.1 billion euro ($4.67 billion) antitrust fine over its handling of Android. The court is the highest in the European Union, meaning Google has no further right to appeal the decision.

The case goes back to a 2018 ruling from the European Commission, which found that Google had abused Android’s mobile dominance to give its own apps an unfair advantage. The original fine was 4.34 billion euros ($4.94 billion), before a lower court trimmed it to the current 4.1 billion euros ($4.67 billion) in 2022.

At the heart of the case were Google’s agreements with Android phone makers. The Commission found that Google used those deals to push services such as Google Search and Chrome through pre-installation requirements, making it harder for rival apps and services to compete.

Google has long argued that Android gives users more choice and helps developers and businesses. In a statement to CNBC, a Google spokesperson said the latest judgment “fails to recognize our significant investment to ensure Android remains open, interoperable and free.” The company also pointed out that it adapted its agreements after the original 2018 decision and said it remains focused on “continued innovation and openness” for users, partners, and developers.

This ruling won’t mean any significant changes to Android overnight. Google has already made tweaks over the years, including giving Android users more ways to choose between search engines and browsers, rather than being so closely tied to Google’s own options. Still, the judgment closes the book on one of the most significant Android antitrust cases Google has faced. The company’s legal headaches are seemingly never fully over, but this one, at least, appears to be.