Google Mobile Services

{{short description|Google's proprietary software bundle on the Android platform}}

File:Android Robot Head 2023.svg

Google Mobile Services (GMS) is a collection of proprietary applications and application programming interfaces (APIs) services from Google that are typically pre-installed on the majority of Android devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. GMS is not a part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which means an Android manufacturer needs to obtain a license from Google in order to legally pre-install GMS on an Android device. This license is provided by Google without any licensing fees except in the EU.{{cite web |title=Google Mobile Services |url=https://developer.motorolasolutions.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/2210-102-2-2535/Google%20Mobile%20Services%20vs%20AOSP.pdf |publisher=Motorola Mobility |date=May 21, 2014 |access-date=October 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023103917/https://developer.motorolasolutions.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/2210-102-2-2535/Google%20Mobile%20Services%20vs%20AOSP.pdf |archive-date=October 23, 2014 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |last=Hildenbrand |first=Jerry |date=September 23, 2019 |title=What are Google Mobile Services (GMS) and why does my phone need them? |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/what-gms-and-why-does-my-phone-need-it |access-date=July 5, 2022 |website=Android Central |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Kyle |date=October 7, 2019 |title=These are the new default Google apps for Android 10 and Android Go |url=https://9to5google.com/2019/10/07/default-apps-android-10-android-go/ |access-date=July 5, 2022 |website=9to5Google |language=en-US}}{{Cite web | title=Google will start charging Android device makers a fee for using its apps in Europe | date=October 16, 2018 | url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/16/17984074/google-eu-android-licensing-bundle-chrome-search | publisher=The Verge | access-date= December 31, 2022}}

Core applications

The following are core applications that are part of Google Mobile Services:{{cite web |url=https://www.android.com/gms |title=Google Mobile Services |access-date=November 27, 2023}}

= Historically =

Reception, competitors, and regulators

= FairSearch =

Numerous European firms filed a complaint to the European Commission stating that Google had manipulated their power and dominance within the market to push their Services to be used by phone manufacturers.[http://www.out-law.com/articles/2013/april/rivals-claim-googles-deceptive⁻use⁻of-android-has-been-anti-competitive/]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Rivals claim Google's 'deceptive' use of Android has been anti-competitive, April 9, 2013. Retrieved on October 19, 2014. The firms were joined under the name FairSearch, and the main firms included were Microsoft, Expedia, TripAdvisor, Nokia and Oracle. FairSearch's major problem with Google's practices was that they believed Google were forcing phone manufacturers to use their Mobile Services. They claimed Google managed this by asking these manufacturers to sign a contract stating that they must preinstall specific Google Mobile Services, such as Maps, Search and YouTube, in order to get the latest version of Android.[http://www.euractiv.com/sections/infosociety/european-regulators-training-sights-googles-mobile⁻software⁻303817]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, European regulators training sights on Google's mobile software, July 31, 2014, Retrieved on October 19, 2014. Google swiftly responded stating that they "continue to work co-operatively with the European Commission".[https://www.bbc.Co.uk/news/technology-22078746], Microsoft accuses Google of pushing services to Android, April 9, 2013, Retrieved on 19October 2014. File:Samsung Galaxy Z.jpg

= Aptoide =

The third-party Android app store Aptoide also filed an EU competition complaint against Google once again stating that they are misusing their power within the market.[http://www.zdnet.com/google⁻faces-Eu⁻competition-complaint-over-android-apps-7000030666/]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Google faces EU competition complaint over Android apps, Liam Tung, June 18, 2014, Retrieved on 19October 2014. Aptoide alleged that Google was blocking third-party app stores from being on Google Play, as well as blocking Google Chrome from downloading any third-party apps and app stores. As of June 2014, Google had not responded to these allegations.

= Abuse of Android dominance =

In May 2019, Umar Javeed, Sukarma Thapar, Aaqib Javeed vs. Google LLC & Ors. the Competition Commission of India ordered an antitrust probe against Google for abusing its dominant position with Android to block market rivals. In Prima Facie opinion the commission held, Mandatory Pre-installation of entire Google Mobile Services (GMS) suite under Mobile application distribution agreements MADA amounts to imposition of unfair condition on the device manufacturers.{{Cite journal|last=Edelman|first=Benjamin G.|date=May 12, 2014|title=Does Google Leverage Market Power Through Tying and Bundling?|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2436940|language=en|location=Rochester, NY|doi=10.2139/ssrn.2436940|ssrn=2436940 |s2cid=219368089 |journal=Journal of Competition Law and Economics |url-access=subscription}}

= EU antitrust ruling =

On July 18, 2018, the European Commission fined Google €4.34 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules which resulted in a change of licensing policy for the GMS in the EU. A new paid licensing agreement for smartphones and tablets shipped into the EEA was created.{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/16/google-tweaks-android-licensing-terms-in-europe-to-allow-google-app-unbundling-for-a-fee/ | title=Google tweaks Android licensing terms in Europe to allow Google app unbundling -- for a fee | date=October 16, 2018 }}

The change is that the GMS is now decoupled from the base Android and will be offered under a separate paid licensing agreement.

= Privacy policy =

At the same time, Google faced problems with various European data protection agencies, most notably In the United Kingdom and France. The problem they faced was that they had a set of 60 rules merged into one, which allowed Google to "track users more closely". Google once again came out and stated that their new policies still abide by European Union laws.