Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Here are the search engine options Android users will get in EU
Google finally announced the complete list of available search alternatives for Android users in the European Union after it earned itself a $5 billion antitrust fine nearly a year and a half ago. This info comes via The Verge, and surprisingly, some big-name search engines like Bing and Yahoo did not walk away with top spots.
Most notably, privacy-centered search engine DuckDuckGo walked away with the top position, meaning it will be available as an alternative to Google in more countries than any other search alternative. On the other hand, Microsoft’s Bing tied for last place and will only be available in the UK. Other listed options include Qwant, GMX, Yandex, Info.com, Givero, and PrivacyWall, while Yahoo is MIA from this list.
The EU’s antitrust fine and Google’s response explained
For those who don’t remember, the EU handed Google this record-breaking antitrust fine after investigating its practices regarding app and service bundling. Because it features its own search engine front and center on Android, the EU found Google guilty of suppressing search engine competition on the Android platform.
As its solution, Google announced it would open an auction system to determine possible Android search alternatives. Google would list the three highest bidders in each country, and whichever option the end-user chose would pay Google the amount offered by the fourth-highest bidder. Google will then repeat this process every four months.
Even with this system, many search engine providers are unhappy, claiming it’s an abuse of Google’s power. But no matter how upset these companies were, this plan fell in line with the EU’s demands, and many search providers played along in hopes of gaining traction in these European countries.
Check out the full list of Google Search engine alternatives offered in each EU country below:
- Austria: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
- Belgium: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Bulgaria: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Croatia: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Czech Republic: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
- Denmark: DuckDuckGo, Givero, Info.com
- Estonia: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
- Finland: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
- France: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Germany: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
- Greece: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Hungary: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Iceland: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Ireland: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Italy: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Latvia: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
- Liechtenstein: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Lithuania: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
- Luxembourg: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Malta: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Netherlands: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
- Norway: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Poland: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
- Portugal: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Republic of Cyprus: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Romania: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Slovakia: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
- Slovenia: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- Spain: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
- Sweden: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
- United Kingdom: Bing, DuckDuckGo, Info.com