Skip to main content

FTC is investigating complaints about Google’s ‘home-screen advantage’ on Android

Android M Hands On
Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends
The Federal Trade Commission has its gaze set on Google yet again, but this time it’s not about the technology giant’s search engine — it’s about Android. The preliminary antitrust inquiry is related to how Google promotes its own services on its mobile operating system and whether it puts competitors at an unfair disadvantage.

The thrust of the FTC’s latest Google scrutiny, which is the result of an agreement with the Justice Department, comes from tech company representatives who argue that Google gives its bundle of services and apps priority over others on Android and that the company stifles their access to the operating system, according to Bloomberg, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Recommended Videos

This investigation, which was given the green light in the past few months, has positioned Google as the new Microsoft. In 1998, Microsoft was accused of putting up walls around its software empire by preventing computer manufacturers from promoting Web browsers not named Internet Explorer. Four years later, the company changed its tune and settled the antitrust case.

The question in the FTC’s latest investigation is whether Google’s bundling of apps and services is anticompetitive. While companies like Samsung and Motorola can package Android with their own apps, they’re still required to include basic Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, and Search. This “home-screen advantage” has led a number of mobile app makers to cry foul to the Justice Department, according to The New York Times.

Android is the top smartphone operating system in the U.S., finishing the three months ending in July with 51.4 percent of the market, according to comScore.

Google is no stranger to the FTC’s steely stare. In 2011, the commission opened an investigation into Google’s search business, which also involved mention of Android. A case was ultimately not brought against Google.

Earlier this year, the European Union accused Google of abusing its dominant position to manipulate search results. A separate investigation of Android is ongoing.

Jason Hahn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…
Gemini has killed Google Assistant to become the AI future of Android
Gemini running on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Artificial intelligence is spreading its ample wings throughout the Android operating system, right down to Google's decision to rebuild the assistant experience entirely to integrate it inside Android. It means Google Assistant has gone the way of the dinosaur, relegated to the history books as it’s replaced by the next big thing: Google Gemini. What better way to introduce the changes than letting Gemini tell you itself.

“Gemini, Google AI's latest innovation, is set to redefine the Android user experience. By deeply integrating Gemini into Android's core, users can now interact with the AI more naturally, getting assistance with tasks and information retrieval directly within apps. Gemini can even generate images and summarize calls or organize screenshots, all while prioritizing user privacy with on-device processing capabilities.

Read more
4 ways Google is making Android more accessible to everyone
Updates to Android accessibility features as of August 2024.

While most of the attention will inevitably be focused on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro today, Google also made some interesting announcements around accessibility in Android at its Made by Google event. Also, likely to the surprise of nobody at all, they include some AI. Here are the four ways Google is improving accessibility in Android.
Magnifier

Originally released in 2023, Magnifier is a very helpful app that only works on Pixel phones. It uses the camera to help people zoom in on the world around them to make reading signs, menus, and other visual guides easier. By integrating AI into Magnifier, it now has a visual search using keywords so you can find relevant terms quickly. Plus, a picture-in-picture view gives you both an overview of what you’re looking at, along with any zoomed-in area.

Read more
The Google Wallet app is about to get a lot more useful
The new Google Wallet app running on an Android phone.

The Google Wallet app for Android is getting a new feature called "Everything Else," which will make it easier to add digital passes. This feature was first announced at Google I/O in May and is expected to be available to all Google Wallet customers in the U.S. by the end of the month. It's currently being rolled out to customers.

Everything Else is replacing Google Wallet's "Photo" option. The feature lets you scan a physical card using your phone's camera. Once you do, artificial intelligence determines what type of card you're scanning. When you take a photo of your physical card, Google will extract the information it can, then let you edit standard fields and add your own.

Read more