https://qz.com/1330613/eu-hits-google-with-a-huge-antitrust-fine-over-its-android-operating-system/ > The European Union has hit Google with a record antitrust fine of €4.34 billion ($5.04 billion) after it found that the company unfairly used its Android operating system to maintain the dominance of its own apps and services—and particularly its search engine. > The European Commission agreed on the penalty today (July 18), the largest-ever in an EU antitrust case, and said that Google behaved illegally by prompting phone manufacturers to pre-install Google apps and services on devices. Though the company provides Android free of charge to companies, it lays down certain conditions on the use of the operating system by phone makers—and essentially forces them to include apps like Search, Maps, its Chrome web browser and its Play app store on phones. Google has long rejected the EU’s charge, and can appeal the decision.