Google Inc (GOOG), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): How to Take Down the Leading Mobile Operating System..Complain

Page 1 of 2

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)It may not prove to be the most effective strategy, but some the world’s leading technology companies have filed a complaint to the EU Commission that Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)‘s Android operating system is giving the company a monopoly on mobile, search advertising, and consumer data.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK), Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ:ORCL), and TripAdvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) are teaming up against Google, saying that the company is using Android as a “Trojan horse” to monopolize the mobile marketplace. When it comes to Microsoft and Nokia, it’s pretty clear why the two aren’t exactly happy with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s OS dominance.

Why Nokia’s upset
It’s not difficult to figure out why Nokia might not be too happy with Android’s current position in the mobile market. Nokia has bet the farm on the Windows Phone platform and it’s currently battling it out with Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) for more market share in both the U.S. and Europe. You can see below how far the Windows Phone platform has to go in Europe:

Source: TechCrunch.

The more market share that the Windows Phone platform takes up, the more Nokia benefits. The EU Commission hasn’t even agreed to hear the official compliant by the companies, but in theory it could hear the complaint and come down on Google, and break up some of Android’s monopoly. That’d be great news for Nokia, but it’s also an unlikely scenario.

What Microsoft has to gain
Obviously Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) wants to see its mobile platform compete against Android and gain more ground, but that’s not all it’s concerned with. The big problem Microsoft has with the don’t-be-evil company is that Google uses its Android platform to tap mobile users for advertisements. Google is expected to snag $3.36 billion in mobile search advertising in the U.S. this year alone. Microsoft is trying to gain more mobile search advertising through Bing and it’s been very public about its thoughts on Google’s search advertising practices.



Page 1 of 2