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Google Loses Final Appeal Over €4.1 Billion EU Android Antitrust Fine

By  |  July 2, 2026
Google, Android

Alphabet-owned Google has lost its final appeal against a €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) European Union antitrust penalty tied to its Android mobile operating system, bringing an end to a years-long legal dispute.

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    The Court of Justice of the European Union upheld an earlier decision confirming that Google abused its dominant market position through agreements related to Android. The fine stems from a 2018 European Commission investigation, which concluded that the company required smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search, the Chrome browser and the Google Play Store on Android devices while restricting the use of competing versions of the operating system.

    The original penalty of €4.34 billion was reduced to €4.1 billion by the EU’s General Court in 2022. Google’s latest appeal sought to overturn that ruling, but the bloc’s highest court dismissed the challenge and confirmed the reduced fine.

    Related: UK Tightens Antitrust Oversight of Google Search With New Transparency Rules

    In a statement following the decision, Google said Android remains an open and free platform that supports manufacturers, developers and consumers. The company also noted that it changed its business agreements in 2018 to comply with the European Commission’s original order.

    The case is one of several competition actions the European Union has pursued against Google over the past decade. European regulators continue to examine the company’s business practices under the Digital Markets Act, which governs large online platforms.

    Source: CNBC