Switzerland has opened a new front in the battle over Android defaults. The competition regulator COMCO is probing Google for removing the Choice Screen in Switzerland, a setup feature that lets users pick a default search engine. The move could reshape how rivals reach Swiss smartphone users and compete for attention.
The trigger behind the case
COMCO says Google withdrew the Choice Screen in Switzerland while keeping it in other European countries. Without that prompt, Swiss users find Google search set as the default during Android setup.
The Choice Screen appears during initial device configuration and is designed to let users pick their preferred search engine. According to COMCO, default settings in digital markets carry outsized weight because they steer user behaviour at the very start.
Competitive stakes in default choices
In a statement, COMCO warned that removing the option can curb visibility for competitors when people first switch on a new phone. The authority said this new practice by Google could limit the ability of search engine providers, and more broadly other digital service providers, to compete.
COMCO also highlighted that Swiss users are treated differently from those in the European Economic Area, where the feature remains. That split could influence which services gain early exposure and which are effectively hidden at setup.
Market context matters here. Google holds 82% of the search market in Switzerland, according to Statcounter. With that dominance, a default setting can do more than nudge users; it can reinforce an incumbent’s position from the first tap.
COMCO indicated the preliminary review will consider several elements:
– Impact on rivals’ ability to compete
– Unequal treatment of Swiss and EEA users
– How defaults limit competitor visibility at setup
– Indications of unlawful competition under Swiss law
Google’s response and what regulators could require
Google said it is aware of COMCO’s preliminary investigation. The company added: ‘We look forward to cooperating fully with the authority to address their questions.’
Possible outcomes are already in view. If COMCO’s case prevails, Google could be ordered to restore the Android Choice Screen for all users in Switzerland. The regulator can also impose a significant fine under Swiss competition law if it finds misuse of a dominant position.
What this means for Swiss users and rivals
For people setting up a new Android phone in Switzerland, the absence of the Choice Screen means Google search appears as the default from the outset. As COMCO notes, that reduces the early-stage exposure rivals depend on to win adoption.
For alternative search engines and other digital services, the startup moment is crucial. COMCO argues the removal limits their visibility precisely when users make high-impact choices, challenging their ability to build market presence against an entrenched leader.
The preliminary investigation will determine whether there are indications of unlawful competition under the Swiss Cartel Act. That decision will signal whether Switzerland pushes Google to align Android’s onboarding experience with other European markets or allows the current approach to stand.
At stake is more than a setup screen. It is a test of how much power a default setting should wield in a market where a single player commands 82% share. For Swiss users and competitors alike, COMCO’s probe will decide whether choice returns to the first screen.
