π¨ Big news from Japan! The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) just dropped a cease and desist order on Google. No more sweetheart deals for pre-installing Chrome and Google Search on Android phones. π«π±
Here’s the scoop: Google allegedly strong-armed phone makers into placing Chrome as the default browser and sticking those app icons right on the home screen. And guess what? They threw in a slice of ad revenue to sweeten the pot. π°π° Six manufacturers were in on this since at least 2020. Sneaky, right?
This isn’t just a local skirmish. The US is side-eyeing Google too, with a judge calling them out as a “monopolist” in the search game. A big ol’ trial’s kicking off next month. ποΈβοΈ
Meanwhile, Japan’s economy minister is jetting off to the US for tariff talks. Coincidence? Maybe. But it’s clear the global tech playground is getting a new set of rules. ππ