EU Antitrust Crackdown: Google and Apple Face Regulatory Heat

The European Commission has charged Google and issued orders to Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act. Google is accused of restricting app developers and favoring its services in search results. Apple must open its ecosystem to competitors, marking a significant regulatory action against Big Tech.

Google, a unit of Alphabet, is facing two charges for breaching landmark EU rules. This development comes as the EU intensifies its antitrust scrutiny against major tech firms, with Apple also being tasked to offer improved connectivity options for its competitors' devices.

This legal action by the European Commission arrives amid ongoing tensions with the U.S., particularly under President Donald Trump's administration, which has responded to such fines with tariff threats. The current focus is on Google's alleged non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act, aimed at curtailing Big Tech's substantial market power.

The charges against Google involve constraints placed on app developers within its Play Store and alleged preferential treatment of its own services like Google Flights in search results. Apple, meanwhile, faces directives to foster a more competitive ecosystem as European regulators press forward in their crackdown.

(With inputs from agencies.)