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So Google will charge Samsung $1,000 per handset for Play Services, but then pay Samsung $1,000 to have Chrome, Gmail, YouTube, etc pre-installed.

Result: Google meets its legal obligations to unbundle their software but in practice the handset manufacturers don't have a choice.




Nope:

> The decision also requires Google to refrain from any measure that has the same or an equivalent object or effect as these practices.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-4581_en.htm


Yes, they will have the choice of also selling Android handsets without Play Services, which before they couldn't do.


This. Samsung has already done deals with Microsoft and Dropbox previously to pre-load their services on some Samsung phones.

Imagine if you could buy a "Windows" Android, with Office 365 + bing preloaded and optimized like a Windows Phone 2.0 sold next to a Google Android phone. As a consumer, I love having that type of option, and the manufacturer can also add their own software / services.


Historically speaking, if I remember correctly, Microsoft has paid phone manufacturers and cell networks to set Bing as the search engine on their smartphones and completely disable the ability for users to change it. I reckon a large part of the reason Google ended up paying to set their search engine as the default on mobile is because otherwise many users would have to jump through hoops every time they searched just to use it. If this goes through, you will use Bing for searches on mobile and you will like it.


You lost me at preloaded.




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