Switzerland's Competition Commission (COMCO) has opened a preliminary investigation into Google after the tech giant pulled a feature from Android devices in the country. According to Reuters, this function lets users select their own default search engine during setup. The feature, known as the Choice Screen, appears when someone sets up a new Android phone. It lets users choose their preferred default search engine instead of automatically using Google, giving them the option to select a competing search provider.
This function powers their device by default. COMCO says Google has withdrawn this option specifically in Switzerland, even as it remains active across the European Economic Area (EEA). The practical effect, according to the regulator, is that Google Search is now effectively locked in as the default for Swiss Android users, with no prompt offering an alternative. According to Statcounter, Google controls roughly 82 per cent of Switzerland's search market. This means that the default search engine on new devices can have a big impact on competition.
Why Default Settings Matter
COMCO says default settings are important because most people keep using the option that is already selected. By removing the choice screen, the regulator believes Google made it harder for people to see and choose other search engines when setting up a new phone, which could influence what they use for years.
"This new practice by Google could affect the ability of search engine providers... to compete," COMCO said, adding that it also creates unequal treatment between Swiss users and those elsewhere in Europe.
Google's Response
According to Reuters, Google said it is aware of the investigation and will cooperate with the Swiss competition authority as it answers its questions. The investigation will look at whether removing the Choice Screen breaks Swiss competition law. Unlike countries in the European Union, Switzerland is not covered by the EU's Digital Markets Act, which requires Google to give users a choice of search engines. Swiss regulators are now investigating if the tech giant removed this option for Swiss users because the country is not subject to those EU rules.
The investigation adds Switzerland to the growing list of countries looking into Google's dominance in online search and how it sets default search options on devices. It also shows that regulators outside the European Union are becoming more willing to investigate large technology companies, even without EU-style digital laws. Swiss regulators have not said how long the investigation will take or if it will become a formal competition case.
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