<p>Google is challenging a record European Union antitrust fine that took aim at the Android operating system's role in restricting mobile competition and consumer choice.</p>.<p>The company said on Thursday that it filed the appeal against the €4.125 billion ($4.3 billion) penalty “because there are areas that require legal clarification from the European Court of Justice”, the EU's top court.</p>.<p>Google previously appealed to a lower tribunal, which had slightly lowered the original €4.34 billion penalty in a decision largely siding with the European Commission.</p>.<p>It's the largest-ever antitrust fine issued by the commission, the 27-nation bloc's top competition watchdog.</p>.<p>In its 2018 decision, the commission found that the dominance of Google's Android resulted in less competition and consumer choice. The US tech giant had argued that free and open-source Android resulted in cheaper phones and spurred competition with its chief rival, Apple. Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating Apple's iOS.</p>.<p>“Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world,” Google said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The fine was one of three blockbuster antitrust penalties that the commission hit Google with between 2017 and 2019, highlighting the bloc's early role in cracking down on tech giants.</p>.<p>Google also is appealing its first EU antitrust penalty, a €2.4 billion fine for unfairly favouring its Google Shopping comparison service, to the Court of Justice, which can only rule on points of law.</p>.<p>It's appealing the third penalty, a €1.49 billion fine for abusing its dominance in online search ads, to the EU court's lower tribunal.</p>
<p>Google is challenging a record European Union antitrust fine that took aim at the Android operating system's role in restricting mobile competition and consumer choice.</p>.<p>The company said on Thursday that it filed the appeal against the €4.125 billion ($4.3 billion) penalty “because there are areas that require legal clarification from the European Court of Justice”, the EU's top court.</p>.<p>Google previously appealed to a lower tribunal, which had slightly lowered the original €4.34 billion penalty in a decision largely siding with the European Commission.</p>.<p>It's the largest-ever antitrust fine issued by the commission, the 27-nation bloc's top competition watchdog.</p>.<p>In its 2018 decision, the commission found that the dominance of Google's Android resulted in less competition and consumer choice. The US tech giant had argued that free and open-source Android resulted in cheaper phones and spurred competition with its chief rival, Apple. Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating Apple's iOS.</p>.<p>“Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world,” Google said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The fine was one of three blockbuster antitrust penalties that the commission hit Google with between 2017 and 2019, highlighting the bloc's early role in cracking down on tech giants.</p>.<p>Google also is appealing its first EU antitrust penalty, a €2.4 billion fine for unfairly favouring its Google Shopping comparison service, to the Court of Justice, which can only rule on points of law.</p>.<p>It's appealing the third penalty, a €1.49 billion fine for abusing its dominance in online search ads, to the EU court's lower tribunal.</p>