Google dominates many sectors of technology, and Android is no exception.
It’s no surprise then that the US Federal Trade Commission is investigating the company over its hugely popular Android mobile operating system.
According to a Bloomberg report, the FTC is scrutinising the business to see if Google is attempting to stifle competition.
“FTC officials have met with technology company representatives who say Google gives priority to its own services on the Android platform, while restricting others,” reads the report.
It continues: “
A separate report by Reuters also corroborates this information based on its own “source”.
Android is currently the world’s most popular mobile operating system, by a long way.
According to information by analytics firm IDC, Android held an 82.8% share of the global mobile market in Q2 2015.
That’s compared to Apple’s iOS in second place, which holds a significantly lower 13.9%.
Third place is weaker still, with Windows Phone at 2.6%, followed by BlackBerry OS in fourth with a near-negligible 0.3%.
Related: Best Android Smartphones 2015
A possible cause for concern may be that Google’s Android platform comes bundled with a number of Google products and services.
Neither the FTC nor Google have released on an official statement on the matter.
Do you think the FTC is right to investigate Google? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.