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<\/p>\nRenewed calls for Google to sell Chrome have reignited demands for the company to also divest Android. An executive at Murena, a French smartphone startup, said today that breaking up the businesses is the only way to end Google\u2019s \u201ccycle of domination\u201d.<\/p>\n
The app<\/a>eal follows a Friday court filing from the US Department of Justice (DOJ). The filing reaffirmed <\/span>a proposal<\/span> for Google to divest its Chrome browser and sell it to a competitor, in a bid to break up the tech giant\u2019s alleged search engine monopoly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThrough its sheer size and unrestricted power, Google has robbed consumers and businesses of a fundamental promise owed to the public \u2014 their right to choose among competing services,\u201d the DOJ said <\/span>in the filing<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The accusation echoes common complaints about Chrome\u2019s dominance.<\/span><\/p>\n TNW Conference – The 2025 Agenda has just touched down<\/p>\n Discover the insightful and dare we say controversial sessions that will take place June 19-20.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In February, Chrome made up two thirds of the <\/span>global browser market<\/span>. Next up was Safari with 17.99%, Edge (5.33%), Firefox (2.62%), and Samsung Internet (2.3%).\u00a0 Opera, Europe\u2019s largest homegrown browser, made up just 2.09%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The DOJ\u2019s plan aims to level the playing field. But Rik Viergever, COO at Murena, a French company building privacy-first smartphones, believes the new proposals alone aren\u2019t enough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs a data privacy advocate, I welcome the DOJ\u2019s decision forcing Google to sell Chrome, however this should only be the start,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to see Google sell the Android operating system.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The government has left this possibility open, but is first calling for Google to change the business practices of Android. If these measures fail to curb Google\u2019s market dominance, the DOJ may push for divestment from the operating system.<\/span><\/p>\n Viergever wants the courts to do more to ease Google\u2019s \u201cstranglehold\u201d on consumers and competitors.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGoogle is only able to offer Android free of charge to users because it profits off them in so many other ways and markets,\u201d he said. \u201cThis makes it almost impossible for other providers in the operating system market to compete and so the cycle of domination continues.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Viergever\u2019s stance aligns with Murena\u2019s mission. The company\u2019s main products are <\/span>\u201cdeGoogled\u201d smartphones<\/span> billed as privacy-centric disruptors to the Apple-Google mobile duopoly. <\/span><\/p>\n The devices use <\/span>\/e\/OS<\/span>, <\/span>a privacy-oriented, open-source alternative to Android<\/span>. <\/span>Murena built the software to escape the shackles of Google\u2019s operating system.<\/span><\/p>\n Viergever argues that selling Chrome would lead to better products.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time to open the market up to innovation and competition so users can benefit from a competitive industry in which businesses compete with products that benefit consumers, rather than a big company like Google holding all the power,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n