This change in tone is very peculiar to me, Google has already been addressing the complaints since day one. EU regulators promising to end the investigation if they get a text from Google is plain bizarre. It smells like the decision is done and paid for already tbh and this delay is a formality. It all sounds great but makes no real sense.

EU competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia said he had "decided to continue with the process towards reaching an agreement" to settle the investigation.

There you go, innocent for lack of gumption to get to the bottom of the question. That's impressive considering this was the F.T.C.

restrictions on advertisers from moving their online ad campaigns to rival search engines

Where did that come from? They start out going after google and now want to limit the advertisers instead? Bizarre...

They haven't actually given them an ultimatum, they've merely said they'd end the investigation if Google agreed to certain (unspecified) demands during January. They have made no commitment to do anything else, apart from 'continue their investigation' if Google decline to do so.

The EU is basically saying "shape up or ship out". Actually it's more like "shape up or SHELL out".
With growing anti-G sentiment in the webmaster and end user community, they may be run out of town on a rail before long. 2013 needs some fresh blood and competition in the search industry. Maybe then Google would focus on what they USED to do well, search.

I'm starting my new year by switching all search to Bing, not because I'm anti G, but because I like finding what I'm looking for.

It's 5 am as I write this and the news hasn't been released yet but later today you will be hearing about this subject again. Here is what you will hear...

- Google made a deal to avoid an anti-trust lawsuit
- Google will make a commitment to change certain practices
- Google will enter into a consent decree over their use of smartphones
- No fines
- No blame
- End of investigation

My question is, if even I know what is coming down the pipeline before it is announced then how could it possibly have been a fair and just investigation? It started out feeling like one but as I posted above it definitely feels like Google negotiated their way out of it long ago. Later today that will be made official.

source: Sam Gustin, a reporter for Time who has been following the story closely.

It's not over yet by a long way. Europe isn't likely to be such an easy touch.

It's over in the U.S., Google is now officially above the FTC but I think many have suspected that for some time.

The EU is still bigger than Google so there's hope yet.