Weko is investigating Google – Swiss customers affected

Here's what it's all about

• The Weko has launched a preliminary investigation into Google because the company removed the “Choice Screen” from Android devices in Switzerland, and Google Search has been automatically set as the default ever since.
• Without the selection screen, competing search engines receive less visibility during device setup, which, according to Weko, could impair their ability to compete.
• The agency is investigating whether the elimination violates antitrust law, and the findings could also be relevant for other default services on mobile devices.

Summary created with

The Competition Commission (Weko) has launched a preliminary investigation into Google. It is examining why the U.S. company removed the so-called “Choice Screen” from Android devices in Switzerland. This selection screen appeared during a device’s initial setup and allowed users to choose their own default search engine.

Since the change, Google Search has been automatically set as the default on new Android devices in Switzerland. In the European Economic Area, however, the selection screen remains.

Default settings have a significant impact on which digital services people actually use. If the selection screen is missing, competing search engines receive less attention when a new device is set up. According to Weko, this could undermine their competitive position and make it more difficult for new providers to enter the market.

On the "Choice Screen," Android users can select which apps and search engines they want to use by default.

Google

The debate within the EU also highlights just how important the specific design of such selection screens is. According to the organization Open Web Advocacy, Google committed in March 2026 to prominently placing the browser selected via the selection screen in the bottom app bar on new Pixel devices. Previously, Chrome remained visible there even if a different browser was selected.

The authority is examining whether the removal of the selection screen provides evidence of an impermissible restriction on competition under the Antitrust Act. It also points out the different treatment of users in Switzerland and the EEA, even though the competitive conditions are comparable.

This is not yet a formal investigation, but rather a preliminary inquiry. According to Weko, the results could also be significant for other pre-installed services on mobile devices.