(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
EU Fines Google a Record $5 Billion
The European Union has fined Google $5 billion for having too much control of software that goes into mobile phones.
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Google broke EU rules for market competition.
Google is the maker of the Android mobile operating system for mobile phones and similar devices.
Vestager said Google requires mobile phone producers to install Google Search software in their phones. She said Google made having the search software a condition of letting phone makers link to Google's app store.
In addition, Vestager said, Google paid big phone producers to only install the Google search app.
Vestager said that "companies must compete on their merits" and must observe rules meant to help consumers and open markets.
Biggest EU fine for anti-competitive methods
Google said it would appeal the ruling. A spokesman for the company Al Verney said, "Android has created more choice for everyone, not less."
The fine is the biggest the EU has ever given to a company for anti-competitive activities.
Vestager said the size of the fine is reasonable if the company's income is considered. Google is part of the technology company Alphabet, based in Mountain View, California. Alphabet had income of about $31 billion dollars in the first three months of the year.
The EU fined Google $2.8 billion dollars in June of 2017 over how it its search engine provided shopping lists.
The ruling comes at a time of increased trade tensions between the EU and the U.S. The administration of President Donald Trump has placed import taxes on European steel and aluminum, angering allies. The EU has answered by placing import taxes on American goods.
Some observers say that the EU has targeted U.S. technology companies, including Microsoft and Apple, for breaking competition or tax rules.
European officials deny this.
They noted that Google held a more than 90 percent share of the market in most European countries.
EU officials said Google abused its large market share by preventing phone makers from using different versions of its Android mobile operating system. Google does this although Android is technically open-source software, meaning that it can be freely added to by developers.
Google argues that its main way of making money from Android mobile is by selling apps and content. It says if its business is limited too much, it will no longer be able to provide Android to mobile phone makers for free.
I'm Mario Ritter.
重点解析
1.goes into 进入
He often goes into the masses and has a heart-to-heart talk with the workers.
他经常深入群众,和工人们促膝谈心
。2.market share 市场份额
The company had steadily increase its market share.
该公司稳步地增加了其市场份额
。3.import taxes 进口税
I am allowed to bring one vehicle to this country without paying any import taxes.
我被准许自带一辆机动车到中国,不用缴进口税
。4.no longer 不再
They no longer had him as a friend.
他们再也不把他看成朋友了
。5.The ruling comes at a time of increased trade tensions between the EU and the U.S.
trade tensions 贸易紧张
Trade tensions between Europe and China can only become worse.
欧洲与中国之间的贸易紧张只会变得更加严重
。Despite a reduced surplus, trade tensions could remain high.
但尽管顺差收窄,贸易紧张局面仍十分严峻
。6.The ruling comes at a time of increased trade tensions between the EU and the U.S.
at a time of 当...的时候
Customers are drawing in their horns at a time of high interest rates.
消费者在高利率时期都在紧缩开支
。I deeply resented those sort of rumours being circulated at a time of deeply personal grief.
我特别憎恨那种在人家伤心透顶的时候还在传播的谣言
。参考译文
欧盟对谷歌开出50亿美元天价罚单
欧盟以谷歌过度控制手机安装的软件为由,开出了50亿美元的罚单
。欧盟竞争事务专员玛格丽特·维斯塔格尔(Margrethe Vestager)表示,谷歌违反了欧盟的市场竞争规定
。谷歌是手机和类似设备安装的安卓手机操作系统的制造商
。维斯塔格尔表示,谷歌要求手机制造商在其手机上预装谷歌搜索软件
。她说,谷歌把安装搜索软件作为手机制造商连接谷歌应用商店的条件 。维斯塔格尔表示,此外,谷歌还付钱让大型的手机制造商只预装谷歌的搜索应用程序
。维斯塔格尔表示,“公司必须根据自己的优势参与竞争”,并且必须遵守旨在帮助消费者和开放市场的规定
。欧盟对反竞争手段开出最大罚单
谷歌表示,将对裁决提出上诉
。AI Verney公司的发言人表示:“安卓为用户创造了更多选择,而不是扼杀它们 。”这是欧盟就反竞争行为向企业开出的最大一笔罚单
。维斯塔格尔表示,若参照该公司的收入,那么这笔罚款的金额是合理的
。谷歌是总部位于加州山景城的Alphabet科技公司的一部分 。Alphabet今年第一季度的收入约为310亿美元 。2017年6月,欧盟就谷歌搜索引擎购物列表的提供方式开出28亿美元的罚单
。这项裁决出台之时,欧盟和美国之间的贸易紧张局势正日益加剧
。特朗普政府对欧洲钢铝产品征收进口税,此举激怒了盟国 。作为回应,欧盟向美国商品征收进口税 。一些观察人士表示,欧盟以违反竞争或税务规定为由将目标对准微软和苹果等美国科技公司
。而欧盟官员否认了这点
。他们指出,谷歌在大多数欧洲国家占据90%以上的市场份额
。欧盟官员表示,谷歌滥用其巨大的市场份额,阻止手机制造商使用不同版本的安卓手机操作系统
。尽管安卓在技术上是开源软件,意味着开发人员可以自行添加,但是谷歌还是选择这么做 。谷歌辩称,安卓手机主要盈利来源就是销售应用软件和内容
。如果该业务受到太多限制,那么将无法免费向手机制造商提供安卓系统 。马里奥·里特为您播报
。译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!
