EU investigates if Google-Samsung deal hampers smartphone competition

EU regulators are examining whether Google’s long-term AI pact with Samsung hampers competitor chatbots on Samsung phones, an EU document reveals.

In the previous month, the European Commission disclosed plans to request information to gauge how the agreement, involving the integration of Google’s Gemini Nano into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 line, impacts market competition.

This step may pave the way for antitrust measures should indications of anti-competitive conduct emerge.

The questionnaire is aimed at uncovering whether the deployment of Gemini Nano, whether through device or cloud integration, constrains the ability of other AI systems to be pre-installed on the same device.

Regulators are also investigating whether Gemini Nano’s deployment restricts the interoperability between existing pre-installed chatbots and applications on Samsung smartphones.

Industry stakeholders are being questioned about their attempts to secure agreements with device manufacturers for pre-installing their chatbots, and they are required to elaborate on reasons for any rejections encountered.

These inquiries are part of a broader effort to determine if the Google-Samsung agreement complies with EU competition rules or necessitates antitrust intervention based on evidence of anti-competitive behavior.

EU regulators are examining whether Google’s long-term AI pact with Samsung hampers competitor chatbots on Samsung phones, an EU document reveals.

In the previous month, the European Commission disclosed plans to request information to gauge how the agreement, involving the integration of Google’s Gemini Nano into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 line, impacts market competition.

This step may pave the way for antitrust measures should indications of anti-competitive conduct emerge.

The questionnaire is aimed at uncovering whether the deployment of Gemini Nano, whether through device or cloud integration, constrains the ability of other AI systems to be pre-installed on the same device.

Regulators are also investigating whether Gemini Nano’s deployment restricts the interoperability between existing pre-installed chatbots and applications on Samsung smartphones.

Industry stakeholders are being questioned about their attempts to secure agreements with device manufacturers for pre-installing their chatbots, and they are required to elaborate on reasons for any rejections encountered.

These inquiries are part of a broader effort to determine if the Google-Samsung agreement complies with EU competition rules or necessitates antitrust intervention based on evidence of anti-competitive behavior.

EU regulators are examining whether Google’s long-term AI pact with Samsung hampers competitor chatbots on Samsung phones, an EU document reveals.

In the previous month, the European Commission disclosed plans to request information to gauge how the agreement, involving the integration of Google’s Gemini Nano into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 line, impacts market competition.

This step may pave the way for antitrust measures should indications of anti-competitive conduct emerge.

The questionnaire is aimed at uncovering whether the deployment of Gemini Nano, whether through device or cloud integration, constrains the ability of other AI systems to be pre-installed on the same device.

Regulators are also investigating whether Gemini Nano’s deployment restricts the interoperability between existing pre-installed chatbots and applications on Samsung smartphones.

Industry stakeholders are being questioned about their attempts to secure agreements with device manufacturers for pre-installing their chatbots, and they are required to elaborate on reasons for any rejections encountered.

These inquiries are part of a broader effort to determine if the Google-Samsung agreement complies with EU competition rules or necessitates antitrust intervention based on evidence of anti-competitive behavior.