欧盟将对Android提起反垄断诉讼

The EU has given its strongest signal of its intent to crack down hard on Google’s mobile operating system, comparing an imminent antitrust case against Android to Brussels’ epic confrontation with Microsoft a decade ago.

欧盟(EU)发出最强信号表示，它有意严厉打击谷歌(Google)的移动操作系统，把即将针对Android提起的反垄断案同10年前布鲁塞尔与微软(Microsoft)之间史诗般的对抗相提并论。

People involved in the case said that EU regulators were very close to opening a long-anticipated new front in their showdown with Google, already hit with charges that it abused its dominance of online searches.

参与该案的人士表示，欧盟监管机构非常接近于在和谷歌的摊牌中开辟这一预期已久的新战线。此前，谷歌已经受到多起指控，被指滥用其在网络搜索领域的霸主地位。

A second charge sheet, in relation to Android, is almost finalised. Margrethe Vestager, competition commissioner, will probably be ready to deliver it this week, the people said, although the timing was not confirmed.

与Android有关的第二份控罪书已接近敲定。上述人士表示，欧盟竞争事务专员玛格丽特•维斯特格(Margrethe Vestager)很可能在本周准备好提交这份控罪书，尽管这一时机尚未得到确认。

Ms Vestager said yesterday she was concerned that Google could be unfairly taking advantage of consumers’ desire to have pre-installed apps, ready for use as soon as “we take a new smartphone out of its box”. This could stifle innovation by keeping fledgling app makers and service providers out of the market.

维斯特格昨日表示，她担心谷歌可能在不公平地利用消费者想要拥有预装应用的愿望，以便只要“我们打开盒子取出新智能手机”就能使用。谷歌的这种做法可能会把初生的应用制作商和服务提供商排挤在市场之外，从而扼杀创新。

“Our concern is that, by requiring phonemakers and operators to preload a set of Google apps, rather than letting them decide for themselves which apps to load, Google might have cut off one of the main ways that new apps can reach customers,” she said in a speech in the Netherlands.

她在荷兰发表的讲话中表示：“我们的顾虑在于，通过要求手机制造商和运营商预装一系列谷歌应用，而不是让它们自己决定搭载什么应用，谷歌或许已切断了新应用抵达客户的主要渠道之一。”