License Fee | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 19 Oct 2018 17:19:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png License Fee | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Google’s response to EU Android ruling is to charge OEMs a license fee https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/android/matthew-wilson/googles-response-to-eu-android-ruling-is-to-charge-oems-a-license-fee/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/android/matthew-wilson/googles-response-to-eu-android-ruling-is-to-charge-oems-a-license-fee/#respond Fri, 19 Oct 2018 17:19:54 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=391630 Earlier this year, the European Commission planted a record breaking $5 billion fine on Google over antitrust charges. The EU took issue with Google's use of pre-installed apps and services on Android smartphones, which stops consumers from seeking out alternatives and thus prevents competitors from rising up. Google is appealing the fine but the company …

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Earlier this year, the European Commission planted a record breaking $5 billion fine on Google over antitrust charges. The EU took issue with Google's use of pre-installed apps and services on Android smartphones, which stops consumers from seeking out alternatives and thus prevents competitors from rising up. Google is appealing the fine but the company is also preparing new licensing charges for OEMs too.

Google is going to comply with the EU's demand that it unbundles the Google Android app package. This in turn will allow OEMs to skip Google's services in favour of alternatives. However, the ad-revenue from these apps and services were also what supported Google's Android development, so the company is going to need to rethink how it generates that revenue.

According to The Verge, Google's plan going forward will be a licensing program for Android. If OEMs decide to use Google's app-suite, which includes the Play Store, Chrome and other services, then they will have to pay a fee, which could equate to as much as $40 per device. This pricing would be adjusted based on country and even the pixel density of the display.

According to the report, Europe is split into three tiers for this licensing program. OEMs selling in the UK, Germany, Norway, Sweden or the Netherlands will have to pay more per device to use Google's apps and services out of the box. So a company like Samsung would pay $40 per device for a flagship phone in a top-tier country but would only pay $2.50 per device for a low end phone in the bottom tier.

Ultimately if this goes ahead, we could see Android flagships rise in price in Europe as many OEMs utilise the Play Store and other pre-installed Google services.

KitGuru Says: Switching to a licensing fee makes sense in order for Google to keep its services prevalent but the costs seem surprisingly high. It would be odd to suddenly be in a situation where an Android flagship isn't guaranteed Play Store access. 

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Just a streamer? Pay up: iPlayer License rules now in force https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/just-a-streamer-pay-up-iplayer-license-rules-now-in-force/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/just-a-streamer-pay-up-iplayer-license-rules-now-in-force/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2016 08:32:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=304800 Whether you watch live TV, or simply catch up on shows using the BBC iPlayer, you're now required to pay for a TV license regardless. Closing what was termed as the “iplayer loophole,” new rules are now in force, that you must own a TV license to view any BBC content – though it's not …

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Whether you watch live TV, or simply catch up on shows using the BBC iPlayer, you're now required to pay for a TV license regardless. Closing what was termed as the “iplayer loophole,” new rules are now in force, that you must own a TV license to view any BBC content – though it's not clear how the ruling will be enforced.

Although the TV licensing authority does acknowledge that most people will pay for licenses or do so already, it claimed that there were a number of “enforcement techniques,” that it could use to find those who skirt the new rule. It also claimed to have prosecuted people watching content without a license on a number of devices, not just TVs.

iplayerviewing

Source: Dan Taylor-Watt/Flickr

As it stands however, the only real check for users is that when they go to watch iPlayer content, a small window pops up to remind them that they must have a license to do so legally. However it can be simply clicked away, so it's not much of a deterrent to those who already decided they don't require one.

As the BBC points out, this new rule affects viewing on any device, whether smartphone, TV, laptop or through third party services.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be interesting to see what an effect this has on licensing. I'm sure a few people will pick one up, but I'd like to see how the BBC plans to track people who use its iPlayer services effectively. We've seen movie studios and music labels try to go after people for ‘pirating' content using IP addresses, but in recent years a lot of judges aren't willing to accept that as proof of a download.

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