Google given 3 weeks to respond to EU antitrust charges
Alphabet has been handed a three week ultimatum to respond to EU antitrust charges levelled against it over allegations that Google abused its dominant position with the Android mobile operating system to impede rivals.
The US technology firm had been scheduled to offer a retort today but has been granted an extension by the European Commission until 7 October after Google requested additional time to review documents.
Google is accused of operating against the interests of consumers by forcing mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Google Chrome on their smartphones to obtain access to other popular Google apps.
The tech titan is also facing a separate charge of favouring its shopping platform over those of others in search results for which it must respond by 13 October after being granted a separate extension. It also has until 5 October to give its take on yet another accusation, this time of blocking rivals in online search.
Google has denied any wrongdoing but could find itself on the hook for as much as $7.4bn of found guilty.