The auction of search engine positions for Android is ending, the selection will expand

The controversial auction of search engine positions for Android in Europe is coming to an end. All search engines that meet the basic conditions will be given space after the new one. Businesses will no longer be able to pay for their product to appear as an available alternative when setting up Android.

More options for the user

For users in our region, this means that they will get more options when choosing the default search engine for their smartphone. The AndroidAuthority portal pointed out the news.

The offer may also include smaller players who have not yet been able to participate in the auction for financial reasons. In addition, Google announces that it will adjust the selection interface in Android to display more than the previous four options.

For the European Union only

The novelty enters into force in the states of the European Union, precisely due to the pressure exerted by the European Commission. Google just didn’t have much to choose from. If he did not actively intervene and change the entire auction, he would face severe sanctions.

The principle on which the auction worked was, quite naturally, not liked by several search operators. Some companies simply couldn’t afford the increased cost of licensing fees for Google. Whether because of the size of the user base or because of the overall business model. Fortunately, all this is changing and soon search engines will be able to join the list completely free of charge.

Since September

The new system should become operational in Europe from September 2021. The change will certainly be welcomed by alternative search engine operators, but it could also be appreciated by the users themselves, who will be given more choice.

Currently, however, several question marks hang over the entire arrangement. The biggest thing is the fact that Google does not comment in any way on what criteria search engines will have to meet in order to be included in the list of offered options. It is also not known how wide the offer will be in the end.