- China wants to know if Google’s Android OS is harming its smartphone market
- Nvidia under fire following its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies
- Intel dominates the Chinese CPU market
Chinese antitrust regulators have reportedly reopened probes into US tech giants Google and Nvidia, with Intel also potentially facing an investigation.
The news comes after President Trump introduced an additional 10% tariff on imports coming from China – the People’s Republic retaliated with its own import tariffs on goods received from the US.
Despite the scarcity of details, we know that the Google investigation is set to focus on its Android operating system.
China launching probes into major US companies
Antitrust investigators are reportedly examining whether the Android operating system harms Chinese smartphone makers like Oppo and Xiaomi, according to sources familiar with the matter (via The Financial Times). The probe dates back to 2019, but after being put on the back burner, it hit the headlines once again in December 2024 when China reopened the probe.
This month, State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) workers visited Google’s Beijing office.
Elsewhere, Nvidia is facing allegations of anticompetitive behavior on the back of complaints by other industry members. China’s competition authority permitted its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies on the basis that it would ensure a stable supply to Chinese customers and continue to support competition.
No official confirmation has been received of an Intel investigation; it could target the company’s dominance in China’s CPU market.
Although antitrust investigations are not unique to China – the US, the EU and the UK have all launched their own probes into many American and international tech giants – the timing coincides with heated tensions between the US and China, following months of increasing restrictions on Chinese access to US AI and advanced technologies.
On the flip side, China has introduced restrictions to its tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium exports – all critical elements in the tech industry.
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