Another week, another pile of antitrust questions for Google. With a ruling in the long-running Epic vs. Google case that determined Google had established a monopoly in the distribution of Android apps, Epic has temporarily moved the Epic Games Store to Android via the Play Store. The US Department of Justice is also considering separating Android and Chrome from Google itself in a separate antitrust case.
However, it’s not all legal news. There are several new features set to debut in Android 16, Ask Photos has started rolling out, and our dreams of booting ChromeOS from our smartphones have been completely shattered. This is the most important Google news of the week.
Welcome to Compiler. A digest of the week’s Google and Android news you need to know.
The Justice Department is discussing breaking up Google
In August, a US federal judge ruled that Google is a “monopolist” in the search engine market, saying the company uses its dominant position in online search to give competitors a foothold in the field. He claimed that it was interfering with the Days later, it was revealed that the Justice Department was considering breaking up Google as one of a variety of remedies.
Now, the Department of Justice has officially proposed a solution, including one particularly drastic remedy that would force Google to exit Chrome and Android, effectively shutting down the company. It’s about dismantling it. The department also requires Google to share sensitive data about searches and feeds with competitors via API, among other concessions. You can read the Department of Justice’s full proposal here.
Meanwhile, Google characterized the Justice Department’s proposal as “radical,” saying that sharing data with competitors could negatively impact user privacy and that separating Chrome and Android from Google would “change its business model.” It changes the cost of devices, increases the cost of devices, and weakens Android and Google Play in intense competition with Apple’s iPhone and the App Store.”
This litigation is sure to drag on, possibly for years. We will closely monitor all developments.
latest developments
Justice Department wants to break up Google, proposes splitting up Chrome and Android
Google plans to appeal the changes
Epic wins big win in lawsuit against Google
The Justice Department’s push to break up Google wasn’t the only legal trouble the company had this week. Last year, a California jury ruled in a lawsuit brought by Fortnite developer and publisher Epic against Google that the Google Play Store constitutes a monopoly on the distribution of Android apps. The final ruling in the case came Monday, and it’s even more bad news for Google.
According to the ruling, Google must make significant changes to its app distribution. If nothing changes, Google will need to allow alternative app stores (such as the Epic Games Store) to be distributed via the Play Store starting November 1st. These app stores give you access to the entire catalog of apps and games available through Google Play and more.
Epic filed a similar lawsuit against Apple around the same time, but the outcome of that case was less favorable to Epic. Google has asked that the proposed changes be postponed while it appeals the decision.
latest developments
Google’s appeal of the Epic decision asks, “Why not Apple?”
Gaining context in a sea of competition
More leaks of Android 16
Jules Wang/AP
Outside the courtroom, Android’s business continues as usual. This week we have some new leaks about Android 16 in 2025. First, a new priority mode allows users to create multiple different notification settings and switch between them in Android’s quick settings panel. Preferred modes are extensively customizable with user-defined names, 40 different icons to choose from, and options to define which apps and contacts can be notified when each mode is active.
It also appears that Android 16 will allow any app to be placed inside a floating “bubble,” similar to certain communication apps today. These bubbles float above the regular phone UI and, when tapped, open the entire app in a windowed view. Seems like a great multitasking option.
latest developments
Android 16 could turn everything into a bubble
“Bubble Anything” feature for multitasking
Google denies claims that Pixel 9 collects and shares excessive user data
Earlier this week, a Cybernews report claimed that Google’s Pixel 9 smartphones, and specifically the Pixel 9 Pro XL, send “private user data” including location information, phone numbers, email addresses, and more to Google once every 15 minutes. He suggested that Google said in a statement that its CyberNews analysis mischaracterizes how data is collected and how it is used.
“This report lacks important context and misunderstands technical details, including software updates, on-demand features, and personalized experiences, which are now available on all mobile devices, regardless of make, model, or OS. “The need for data transmission for legitimate services on the device is not adequately explained,” a Google spokesperson told CyberNews.
For more information, Google refers you to a support page that explains what data is collected and why.
Full text
Google says Pixel 9 isn’t making calls home with suspicious data packets found in report
Google denies oversharing claims
The dream of ChromeOS on Android was dashed
This spring, Google demoed an app called Ferrochrome that allows you to boot ChromeOS on Android devices. This is an exciting proposition that could be serious competition for Samsung’s DeX mode. It soon became clear that the project was essentially a technology demo aimed at showing off the Android virtualization framework. Still, we held out hope that it would one day see the light of day.
Okay, not so much. Google has apparently discontinued development of Ferrochrome and has no plans to ship or maintain its code. Although it’s technically still possible to run ChromeOS on Android devices, I don’t think it’s a good idea to see this feature in mainstream release any time soon.
latest developments
Google retires project that makes it easy to run ChromeOS on Android
No more ferrochrome launchers
Ask Photos finally rolls out
Google’s long-anticipated ‘Ask Photos’ feature, an AI-powered Google Photos search experience that aims to leverage Gemini to perform complex searches within your Google Photos library, is finally rolling out . Ask Photos, first announced at I/O 2024, lets you perform more specific searches and ask questions that Google’s AI tries to answer using your photo library and Google’s context about you. Yes (e.g. “What did you have for dinner on your 2nd birthday?” several years ago).
This feature is not yet available worldwide, but it is available on my Pixel 9 Pro. If you don’t have access yet, you can see a little bit of Ask Photos in action here.
latest developments
An early look at Google Photos’ AI-powered Ask Photos feature.
Access to “Ask Photos” is currently restricted
Pixel Watch 1 and 2 should ship with Wear OS 5 later this year
Wear OS 5 began rolling out to 1st and 2nd generation Pixel Watches in September. A few days later, Google paused the rollout after numerous issues were reported with the update. Google addressed the situation this week, writing on its Pixel Watch help forum: “We plan to resume deploying WearOS 5 to these devices later this year once the observed issues have been mitigated. Google also announced that we will be rolling out “additional “We plan to share updates with the community.” As soon as available. ”
There are only a few months left in 2024, so “later this year” won’t have to wait that long. I hope Google resolves the issue soon. The Pixel Watch 3’s new grid-style app drawer layout is great, and Wear OS 5 brings it to older generations as well.
latest developments
Google’s Pixel Watch Wear OS 5 fix update may not arrive immediately
Landing will occur “later this year”
