2月4日，市场监管总局网站公布消息，美国谷歌公司因涉嫌违反《中华人民共和国反垄断法》，被市场监管总局依法立案调查。谷歌公司是美国巨型科技企业，总市值超过2.3万亿美元。近年来，谷歌公司深陷“垄断泥潭”，频繁受到各国反垄断执法机构调查，据不完全统计，美、欧、日、韩等主要司法辖区对谷歌公司发起的反垄断调查超过28次，被提起私人民事诉讼超过40起，相关案件涉及谷歌公司移动操作系统、应用商店、搜索引擎、广告技术等几乎所有主要业务。2024年8月，美国哥伦比亚特区地方法院公布判决，认定谷歌公司搜索业务违反美国《谢尔曼法》，这是美国政府自1998年微软公司反垄断案以来最大规模反垄断案件。11月，美国司法部向法院提议拆分谷歌公司浏览器业务，美国司法部长加兰表示，这是美国人民的历史性胜利。美国司法部的起诉书称：二十年前，谷歌成为硅谷的宠儿，生机勃勃的新创企业在新兴互联网搜索领域锐意创新。这样的谷歌早已消失。今天的谷歌是互联网的垄断守门人。自2010年谷歌宣布关闭中国大陆搜索业务后，谷歌公司在华业务相对有限，主要是向中国手机厂商提供安卓移动操作系统。此次反垄断调查可能与谷歌公司的安卓操作系统业务有关。当前，全球移动操作系统基本被谷歌公司安卓系统和苹果公司iOS系统“两分天下”，其中，iOS系统为闭源操作系统，仅供苹果公司自用；安卓系统为开源操作系统，谷歌公司采取免费授权许可模式许可手机等移动设备厂商使用，2012年以来，谷歌安卓操作系统一直是全球第一大移动操作系统，占据绝对优势。全球约70%的智能手机由中国手机厂商生产制造，但多数依赖谷歌公司的安卓操作系统。一直以来，谷歌公司的安卓操作系统被业内诟病为“假开源、真垄断”。谷歌公司利用安卓移动操作系统的市场支配地位，在技术上和商业上，对中国手机厂商施加诸多限制和约束，特别是通过与软硬件厂商、海外通信运营商等签订一系列协议，设置反分裂义务，严格限制开发安卓分支操作系统，要求预装全套谷歌应用程序，等等。这些限制措施与谷歌公司开发的应用商店、搜索引擎等产品服务相配合，构建起移动互联网时代的强大商业生态，不仅强化了谷歌公司在移动操作系统市场的垄断地位，而且排除、限制了移动操作系统等相关市场的竞争，阻碍了行业创新发展。近年来，移动智能手机市场结构逐渐固化，塞班、黑莓、Windows Phone、阿里YunOS等移动操作系统逐渐退出历史舞台，海尔、天语、朵唯这些曾经畅销一时的国产手机品牌逐渐消失在大众的视野。行业内普遍认为，智能手机产业头部化明显，产品代际差异越来越小，创新动力明显减弱。值得注意的是，欧盟、韩国、印度等国家和地区反垄断执法机构均对谷歌公司移动操作系统市场的垄断行为开展过调查，2018年、2021年、2022年，欧盟委员会、韩国公平交易委员会和印度竞争委员会先后作出处罚。但从公开的执法文书看，这些国家和地区的反垄断调查并未涉及中国市场。韩国、印度等国家和地区的反垄断执法机构均将相关地域市场界定为国别市场，欧盟界定为全球市场（中国除外）。根据《中华人民共和国反垄断法》第二条规定：“中华人民共和国境外的垄断行为，对境内市场竞争产生排除、限制影响的，适用本法。”因此，如果谷歌公司的相关行为和做法对中国境内市场产生了影响，中国反垄断执法机构具有管辖权。对谷歌公司开展反垄断执法，与目前其他主要司法辖区的反垄断执法之间不存在冲突，符合国际礼让的基本原则，符合国际通行的反垄断规则，是于法有据的专业执法行为。操作系统是移动互联网生态的基石，进入人工智能时代，移动互联网的商业生态正在加速演变、重构，我国移动通信产业具有强大的生产能力和超大规模市场优势，政务服务、教育医疗、银行金融、交通运输、生活保障等领域应用场景广泛，发展新的移动操作系统并构建更加具有活力的商业生态，具有充分条件和较好基础。积极借鉴欧盟等域外反垄断执法机构的经验，加强对跨国垄断行为监管执法，推动谷歌公司取消不合理的限制和做法，有利于推动构建更加公平合理的国际市场竞争秩序，保障我国企业更好参与国际市场竞争合作，为产业创新发展和全球经济注入新的发展动力。
Brief
"On February 4, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced that Google was being investigated for allegedly violating China's Anti-Monopoly Law. This investigation is related to Google's Android mobile operating system business, which has been accused of abusing its market dominance and restricting competition in the Chinese market." The Chinese government has jurisdiction over Google's behavior if it affects the domestic market, aligning with international rules and principles.
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Purpose:
The Chinese market regulator, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), has launched an investigation into Google Inc. for allegedly violating China’s Anti-Monopoly Law. This move marks a significant development in the global anti-trust landscape, with implications for Google’s operations and business practices.
Effects on Industry:
The investigation is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the tech industry, particularly in China. Google’s dominance in the mobile operating system market has been criticized by regulators worldwide, including Europe, Korea, and India. The Chinese authorities’ move could lead to a re-evaluation of Google’s business practices, potentially forcing the company to reform its operations and policies.
The investigation may also have broader implications for the global tech industry, as it highlights concerns about anti-competitive behavior and market dominance. Other companies, including Apple and Microsoft, may be scrutinized more closely by regulators in the wake of this development.
Relevant Stakeholders:
Google, as a major player in the tech industry, is the primary stakeholder affected by this investigation. However, other stakeholders include:
- Chinese mobile device manufacturers, who rely heavily on Google’s Android operating system
- Consumers, who may benefit from increased competition and innovation in the mobile market
- Regulators worldwide, who will be watching this development closely to assess its implications for their own anti-trust policies
Next Steps:
The investigation is likely to take several months or even years to complete. In the meantime, Google may face significant pressure to reform its business practices and operations in China.
It remains to be seen whether the Chinese authorities will impose penalties or fines on Google if it is found guilty of violating anti-monopoly laws. However, one thing is certain: this development will have far-reaching implications for the global tech industry and beyond.
Any Other Relevant Information:
The investigation into Google’s business practices in China has significant historical context, dating back to the company’s decision to shut down its search engine service in the country in 2010. Since then, Google has maintained a relatively limited presence in China, focusing primarily on providing Android operating systems to Chinese mobile device manufacturers.
However, Google’s dominance in the mobile market has led to concerns about anti-competitive behavior and market manipulation. The investigation launched by the Chinese authorities marks an important step towards addressing these concerns and promoting fair competition in the tech industry.
