BRUSSELS: Alphabet unit Google will seek to overturn a record 4.34-billion-euro ($5.15 billion) EU antitrust fine at a five-day hearing in September at Europe’s second-highest court, people familiar with the matter said.
The European Commission in its 2018 decision said Google had used its popular Android mobile operating system to thwart rivals, an anti-competitive practice dating from 2011.
Android, used by device makers for free, is found on about 80 percent of the world’s smartphones. The case is the most important of the EU’s three cases against Google because of Android’s market power. Google has racked up more than 8 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade.
The hearing will kick off on Sept. 27, the people said. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Luxembourg-based General Court said it could not confirm the hearing as the dates have not been made public for now. The five-day event is longer than average but not unusual.
Google is backed by lobbying groups Application Developers Alliance (ADA) and the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Android device makers Gigaset Communications GmbH and HMD Global Oy, which is the exclusive licensee of the Nokia brand for phones, and Norwegian tech company Opera Software.
The Commission has the support of the European Consumer Organization (BEUC), German publishing groups VDZ and BDZV, Czech search engine Seznam, lobbying group FairSearch and French search engine Qwant.
The case is T-604/18 Google vs European Commission.
Google to fight EU antitrust fine at court hearing from Sept. 27
https://arab.news/nrdbk
Google to fight EU antitrust fine at court hearing from Sept. 27
- Google seeks to overturn EU's antitrust fine in Europe's second-highest court in September.
- The European Commission said Google had used its popular Android mobile operating system to thwart rivals, an anti-competitive practice dating from 2011.
Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC
- Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month
RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.
The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.
“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”
With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.
The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.
Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”
The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”
Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”
He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”
