Google will ask European Android users which browser and search engine they want in the future

Google has just been fined approximately €1.5 billion (about US$1.62 billion) for its suppression of ads from other companies on third-party websites by the European Commission (EC). This is the latest EC decision that has gone against the company: it also sanctioned the search giant last year and the year before that, for similar anti-competition practices.

Now, Kent Walker, Google's Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, has written a blog post touting his organization's commitment to offering European users more choice in their online services. He points out that the search giant has changed its licensing patterns for Chrome, Google Search and the Play Store on Android phones intended for sale in that region.

Walker has also announced that European Android users will soon start seeing a new way in which Google purports to respect their privacy and online service choices. This will involve asking them which search provider and browser app they want to have on their phones. This option is likely to feature during the set-up of a new device.