Google faces setback in EU android antitrust appeal

LONDON, June 19 (AP): Google faced a big setback Thursday in its attempt to overturn a multibillion-dollar European Union antitrust penalty involving Android after a top court's legal adviser sided with regulators.

The European Court of Justice's advocate general, Juliane Kokott, recommended in a preliminary opinion that Google's appeal against the fine worth more than 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) should be dismissed.

The case dates back to 2018, when the EU's executive Commission slapped Google with a 4.134 billion euro fine after finding that the US tech company used the dominance of its mobile android operating system to throttle competition and reduce consumer choice.

After Google filed an initial appeal, a lower court trimmed the penalty to 4.125 billion euros in 2022, which the company also appealed to the Court of Justice.

Kokott advised that the Court of Justice confirm the fine and uphold the lower court's judgment, according to a press release summarising her opinion.