[wartijn_]

Maybe option 6: Don't have a search app by default?

I don't see why such an app is required. If user need to search for something, they can use their browser. And if someone wants to have a browser app/widget they can download it from the Play store.

This "solution" by Google is just a way to prevent more fines, while most people will still have a huge Google search bar on their phone and Google can make some extra money.

[cameronbrown]

Then who chooses which browser is Android's default? And which search engine is the browser's default?

You've just shifted the problem down the stack.

[wartijn_]

I thought this was only about the search app/widget, not also about the browser and the browsers default search engine. My bad.

But I don't think it's just shifting down the problem.

Right now the search app, browser and search engine of the browser are all Google. I don't think an unremovable* search widget on phones is necessary. And I think Google wants to keep it there because they know people will choose Google, especially since that one is installed by default and users just get the choice between installing an extra app or skip that step.

*unless you install a new launcher.

[ppseafield]

The EU had a solution for that when Microsoft was doing the same thing with browsers: post install offer the user a choice of web browsers, which IIRC was based on market share.

[NikkiA]

Which is exactly what google is being forced to implement here, except that because there are thousands of search engines, they're auctioning rather than picking the top 10.

[jammygit]

That’s a nice compromise, I like that as a default

[shyneeup]

are you advocating for the same solution here with search engines...? Because that would just give the same result.