Switzerland's competition authority has opened a preliminary investigation into Google after the company removed its search engine 'choice screen' for Android users in the country, a feature that lets people pick a default search provider during device setup.
The Swiss Competition Commission said it is examining whether the removal limits the visibility of rival search engines and raises barriers to market entry. Google continues to offer the choice screen in the European Economic Area, but Switzerland is not subject to the EU's Digital Markets Act, which mandates the feature, allowing the company to discontinue it locally.
Google currently holds roughly 82 percent of Switzerland's search engine market, according to Statcounter, underscoring the regulator's concern over potential competitive harm.