Android smartphones will start offering search engines in alternative to Google
The three alternative search engines for each country were chosen through an auction by Google, case by case. Microsoft, for example, only managed 13 countries to have its Bing engine selectable, but it includes some of the main markets, namely Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France.
Still regarding this auction, which gives users the choice between Google Search or three other alternatives, info.com won slots to be an option for Google Search in 31 countries; PrivacyWall in 22 countries; GMX in 16 countries; and DuckDuckGo secured eight slots in small markets. All auctions are effective from October 1st until December 31st of this year.
In the list of auctions that Google published, the three alternatives for Portugal are GMX, info.com, Yandex, in addition to the search engine of the technological giant.
It should be recalled that Brussels imposed a fine of EUR 1.49 billion on Google for breach of the search engine related antitrust rules.
The company stated that it has always given users the freedom to install any search engine on their Android smartphones and also browsers, regardless of what comes pre-installed on devices when they are purchased.
But after that, the user will have to choose from the first step which search engine he wants to install by default on his equipment.
