Google sanctioned by the Antitrust Authority in Italy for over 100 million euros

New sanction for the American research giant. The Competition and Market Authority has sanctioned Google of a figure of around 100 million euros for abusing its dominant position on the market. What happened? Why was the sanction sanctioned?

Google Italy, or Google LLC and therefore Alphabet Inc, will have to pay a fine of 102,084,433.91 euros for abusing their dominant position on the market, thus violating the article 102 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

According to the note published by the Antitrust, Google with Android and its Play Store would hold a dominant position in controlling the possibility that developers have to reach end users . The sanction concerns the block imposed by Big G on the use of Enel X Italia's JuicePass application on Android Auto.

As we recently reminded you, Android Auto is one of the many infotainment platforms for cars capable of to allow the use of some of the smartphone applications on the screen of your vehicle while driving, obviously in compliance with safety regulations and the reduction of distractions. In our article we talked about how it became possible to install third-party applications on Android Auto, bypassing the limits imposed by Google for the safety of motorists.

The block in question is the one that hit JuicePass, to which it was prevented from being installed by Google on vehicles equipped with its Android Auto system. The Enel X app allows the management of some services related to the use of electric cars, such as searching for the nearest charging stations and booking them.

By preventing Enel X italia from making its application available on Android Auto, according to the competent authority, Google would have unfairly limited the possibilities for users to use JuicePass when they are driving an electric vehicle and need to recharge. In this way, Google would have favored its Google Maps application which in turn has some EV related services.

This is only the latest case faced by the Mountain View company regarding the abuse of dominant position on the market (or presumed so in other cases) as Google manages and controls Android, one of the most popular mobile platforms in the world, and at the Google Play Store, the virtual application store in the world, rival of the Apple App Store.

The most famous battle, which you may remember, is that of Epic Games which called into question Google (but also Apple) in relation to the lack of a fair and fair competition with an alternative application store and the related commissions that the developers are consequently obliged to pay.

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