Google ordered to open Android and Search to rivals in Europe
Google just lost control of Android and Search. The EU's ruling could reshape the entire AI assistant landscape.
Why it matters
EU antitrust enforcement is forcing Google to open its most defensible moats—Android and Search—to competitors, directly impacting how AI assistants (including Gemini) access data and distribution. This is the most consequential regulatory blow to a tech giant's AI strategy in years.
The key facts
6 to knowGoogle must grant rival AI assistants access to Android and Google Search
Compliance deadline: January 2027 for search data sharing; July 2027 for Android changes
Ruling applies to EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA)
Decision could reshape Gemini's competitive position
Opens distribution and data access opportunities for competitors
Two separate EU decisions handed down July 16, 2026
Go to the source
The Verge AItheverge.com
Publisher excerpt: Google must give rival AI assistants and search engines greater access to key parts of Android and Google Search after the European Union ordered the company to comply with the bloc's digital antitrust rules. The two decisions, handed down Thursday, could weaken Google's control over two of the…