Google being investigated by EU over allegations made by Nokia, Microsoft

According to a new report out of the Financial Times, Google is being investigated by European officials due to allegations that it has anti-competitive deals set up with select smartphone manufacturers. This isn’t the first time Google has run into trouble with the EU, as the company has been investigated for antitrust issues in the past.

Microsoft and Nokia made these allegations and claim that Google is forcing Android manufacturers to delay the launch of devices running their two operating systems. The European Union is also looking into claims that Google requires manufacturers to preload its services on their devices.

These allegations include the licensing of Android software “below cost”, according to the documents, and “potential requests by Google to cancel and/or delay the launch of smartphone devices” based on competing operating systems or shipped with rival mobile services.

The commission will also consider whether Google imposed exclusivity agreements with mobile device makers regarding the pre-installation and placement of Google’s various mobile services that are typically supplied with Android devices, such as YouTube.

The investigation is still at a preliminary stage, however, and Google denies the allegations saying that “handset makers, carriers and consumers can decide how to use Android, including which applications they want to use.”