Do Google actually ever end up paying these fines? If so, over what period and how much have they paid so far?

Using the internet without Chrome is basically the only thing you CAN do on Android out of this list.

4 billion can go a very long way.

No, they are just getting a slap on the wrist.

It just sounds like a lot because we're poor peasants who think a thousand dollars is a life changing amount of money.

To company like google, 4 billion dollars is pocket change. a small evil tax compared to what they've made doing the evil.

It'd be like you setting up an illegal hotdog stand, making 2000 dollars selling hotdogs all day, then the government coming by and fining you 20 bucks for it, but not before getting a free hotdog with a wink wink nudge nudge.

I farted a few minutes ago. Google knows this and was able to monetize the sale of that data. My flatulence paid that fine.

These are not consequences. This is zero-calorie consequences.

They'll probably appeal and do bullshit to negotiate it down and defer the payment.

So, a consequence, but one absolutely built into the budget of the things they're being fined for.

Edit: oh wait i misread. This is actually something they already appealed and negotiated down already. The original judgement was years ago.

The EU can spin that into a serious concern about safety and "won't somebody please think of the children?"

have spent 8 fucking years arguing

Part of the plan.

While continuing to thrust harder.

Just so I can do the calculations, approximately how long is a pie fucking year?

Right? Forcing them to keep Android open would be far more effective than this fine.

Is there a good alternative for maps?

Yes.

I have only one of their services that I do not see replaced any time soon. YouTube. What they do there is impressive, and very, very hard to replicate.

Not a fan of YouTube, don't get me wrong. But I see nothing comparable out there (maybe AWS, but they just run some infrastructure orchestration).

Google will kill YouTube long before anybody else is able to pull off the same stunt.

Or is there a service comparable for video streaming?

European Commission of course. They are the only ones left in the world trying to rein in the tech giants.