Alphabet's Google has lost its final appeal against a multibillion-euro European Union antitrust penalty over its Android mobile operating system, handing regulators a major victory in efforts to curb the power of Big Tech.
Europe's highest court on Thursday upheld a €4.1 billion ($4.8 billion) fine imposed over Google's business practices involving Android, bringing to an end a legal battle that has lasted nearly eight years.
The case stems from a 2018 decision by the European Commission, which originally fined Google €4.34 billion.
Regulators found that Google required smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search, the Chrome browser and the Google Play Store on Android devices as a condition of licensing its software.
The Commission also found that Google prevented manufacturers from using alternative versions of Android, limiting competition in the mobile operating system market.
A lower EU court reduced the fine to €4.1 billion in 2022 but upheld the Commission's core findings. Google subsequently appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union, which has now dismissed the company's challenge.
Following the ruling, a Google spokesperson said the judgment failed to recognise the company's investment in Android.
The company argued that it has worked to keep Android "open, interoperable and free", maintaining that the platform has benefited consumers and developers alike.
The ruling adds to Google's growing list of antitrust penalties in Europe. The company has accumulated nearly €11 billion in EU fines over the past decade for various competition law violations.
Google also faces further regulatory action under the Digital Markets Act, which is designed to limit the market power of major technology companies.
EU regulators are currently investigating whether Google unfairly favours its own products and services in search results and whether its app store practices comply with the bloc's new digital competition rules.
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The European Commission has slapped a $1 billion dollar fine on Google for violating its strict antitrust law, marking the first time the tech giant has faced financial punishment under the bloc's Digital Markets Act.
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