The European Commission is investigating Google’s efforts to streamline Android across devices and device families. If you are a developer that supports today’s improved Android and you do not wish to return to the fragmented Android ecosystem of 2009-2012, sign this letter and comment to send the Commission your views.

Dear President Juncker,

The Developers Alliance, the world’s leading advocate for software developers, including industry leaders in consumer, enterprise, industrial, and emerging software, and a global network of more than 70,000 developers, together with the undersigned organisations and companies, representing a wide range of European digital businesses, are writing today to express ongoing concern with the Commission’s investigation of Android’s business practices.

As you know, some of us already wrote to DG Competition last year with these concerns, and we hope there will be further opportunities to engage with your staff, as a negative decision in this case could adversely impact European businesses and the EU’s global leadership in this sector.

Our first concern is fragmentation of the mobile ecosystem. You have already heard complaints that Google’s anti-fragmentation agreement (AFA) restricts hardware makers from diversifying their Android-based devices. Changes to Google’s AFA could undermine the consistency of various Android devices, which would be lethal to our businesses. Currently we are able to offer consumers a seamless, stable experience across Android devices that keeps their data secure and facilitates easy switching among various competing Android devices. It does not make business sense to develop different versions of our applications for each of the thousands of Android devices. We see significant differentiation and intra-platform competition (among Android Original Equipment Manufacturers), and want to ensure there remains a stable, scalable Android platform. This is vital to achieving a positive user experience and the continued success of the app economy.

We have no concerns about the way Google distributes its own applications on some Android devices. Google allows rivals to be preinstalled alongside its own apps. As a result, most device manufacturers preload apps coming from a large variety of app developers including several European ones. Further, it is very easy for all developers to reach consumers via the Android platform. Apps can be downloaded in seconds from any source, and we have seen that many of the most successful applications grew in popularity because they were useful and consumers liked them – not because they were preinstalled on various devices. The openness of Android’s platform benefits developers. We hope the EC investigation will not undermine this ability for app developers to reach 2 billion users and not turn the mobile ecosystem into a multiple fragmented ecosystem.

The proof that Android works for European developers is clear. A recent report from AppAnnie predicts more than 165 billion app downloads from the several Android app stores in 2017, and 308 billion app downloads in 2021. This will continue to drive the success of, amongst others, European companies. As these opportunities continue to expand, so will our businesses, and thus it is imperative that the Commission does not undercut our future growth.

Signatories +

Thank you to the following supporters for sharing their views on the issue.

• Adam LG Ring, Beard Brothers
• Adrián Daraš, Hivereactor
• Adrien Pavillet, TKT
• Alex Simmons, Hub Connect Limited
• Andreas Backx, Clook
• Ashley Davies, ImmobilienScout24
• Bart Van den Keybus
• Benjamin Monjoie, Appkers
• Bogumiła Matuszewska – Wojtyla, DrOmnibus
• Boris Kolev, Digimark
• Christophe Beyls
• Daniel Leal, SPMS – Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde
• Daniel Murray, Mobula
• Daniel Peris, Pickaso
• David Vávra, Step Up Labs
• Devi Singh Rajput, Devi Studios
• Dimitrios Tsamis
• Dobromir Ivanov, Bulgarian Startup Association
• Edward Cooper, Revolut
• Elliot Gouy, FameUs
• Erik Hellman, Hellman Software AB
• Fabrizio Lapiello, Lapiello Solutions
• Felipe Dominguez, Software Attitude
• Filip Miłoszewski, Listonic
• Francesca Bortoli, LVenture Group
• Gianmarco Carnovale, Roma Startup
• Gianpaolo Riva, Nuzdah s.a.s
• Giovanni Gazzola, LVenture Group
• Gonçalo Correia Mindera
• Guillaume Hachez, QuickLyric SPRL
• Jan Musinsky, SAS Slovakia
• Jan Percic
• Jason Berryman, Dolphin ONE Communication
• Jean-François Michel, Tapptic
• Jean-Marc Francois, Jimé Consult
• Jeremias Loock, Cantinio
• Jeroen Mols, Build IT bvba
• Joseph Saabsaade, OSN
• Karel Bourgois, Voxist
• Kiran Bhondwe, Nikon
• Konstantin Dinev, Atom Solutions
• Kristijan Jurkovic, Redox
• Ian Rumac
• Igor Shevtsov, GDG Dnipro
• Inan Onder Gooder, Artbees Limited
• Louis Rouffineau, LaCompany
• Lukasz Konior, All in Mobile
• Magy Kontou, SimpleApps
• Manel Alcaide, Visualfy
• Marc Anthony Maceira Zayas
• Martin Adamek, Inloop
• Martin Delobbe, Pricing Pact
• Martin Liersch
• Massimo Ciociola, Musixmatch
• Massimo Guareschi, RedBit Games
• Matteo Gazzurelli, DuckMa srl
• Milos Marinkovic, ByteBox
• Milton Cesar Oviedo Tamayo, Intuitiva
• Nebojsa Bozic
• Nicola Corti
• Nicola Verbeeck, Chimerapps BVBA
• Panayotis Tzinis, X-Lab by Moonshot Lab
• Paola De Giovanni
• Paolo Conte
• Pascal Welsch, Grandcentrix GmbH
• Perusha Moodley, Lodgical Ltd
• Peter Kofler, Danish Entrepreneurship Association
• Petr Nálevka, Urbandroid
• Pieter Veldhuizen, Dutch Startup Association
• Rafał Młodzki, VocApp
• Ramzi Rizk, EyeEm Mobile GmbH
• Ratko Bozovic, Gamehouse
• Ricardo Amaral
• Riccardo Tribbia, Tiknil srl
• Rojahn Ahmadi, NeuroNation (Synaptikon GmbH)
• Robert Dahlberg,Challenge Accepted
• Royi Benyossef
• Simon Debaecke
• Simon Rolin, MarginWeb SPRL
• Stephan Celis, Celis Consulting bvba
• Tariq Patel, Yoyo Wallet Ltd
• Ted Bayybut, MovieSweep
• Thibault de Changy, Siccclic
• Tina Fišić, WTM Croatia
• Vilius Kraujutis, Playgong
• Wolfgang Dahmen, Banana Glue
• Wolfram Rittmeyer, OpenMinds UG
• Wo King, Hi9
• Yanko Ojeda
• Yanick Lemin, TechYOS SPRL
• Yonatan Levin, KolGene
• Zeljko Khermayer, Feelif
• Zoltan Orban, Orban Consulting SCS