Do you also find it frustrating when your new Galaxy phone comes loaded with a bunch of pre-installed apps? Well, if all goes according to plan, that might change. Google has proposed changes aimed at reducing its monopoly in the market. If the proposal goes through, Android OEMs like Samsung will have the option to decide whether or not they want to preload Google apps on their devices.
Google proposes Android OEMs such as Samsung can choose not to preinstall Google apps on Galaxy
In a blog post, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, proposed some changes. The blog post started with Google stating that it “strongly disagrees with and will appeal the decision” amid the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) search distribution lawsuit against Google.
In one such remedies proposal, Google suggests that the company will give device makers such as Samsung more freedom to preload several search engines and Google apps separately from Search or Chrome. “This will give our partners additional flexibility and our rivals, like Microsoft, more chances to bid for placement,” wrote Google.
The lawsuit is still ongoing, and if and when the U.S. DOJ agrees to Google’s proposals, we might see our Galaxy phones free from the preloaded bunch of Google apps we see today. But the thing is, this proposal is still awaiting the DOJ’s decision, so we don’t know how long it will really take for the dust to settle.
Apple and Mozilla could also partner with other search engines
Moreover, Google added that browser companies like Apple and Mozilla should be free to partner with the search engines they believe work best for their users. The Court recognized that browsers “occasionally evaluate Google’s search quality against competitors and find Google’s to be better.” For companies like Mozilla, these deals are also an important source of revenue.
Google was found guilty of running an illegal search monopoly, so the DOJ wanted Google to sell off its Chrome browser and separate Android from its search engine and Play Store business. Around that time, Mulholland called the DOJ’s approach an “overreach,” as these changes would make the Chrome browser less secure.
