French commercial court fines Google maps for being free

[ibis]

...and another round of people who apparently don't realise that Google provides commercial map services, and that these are the services in question. This one is particularly ironic:

But the French courts may take years to overcome their anti-American bias and recognise that.

because it's based on misunderstanding the situation and making an anti-French assumption.

[Sync]

Software is different to most businesses in that marginal costs for past software are close to zero. How many businesses are like that? Brand name products for low cost goods like bottled water is one example,but the price is never cut for fear of undermining the perception of brand quality.Software's zero marginal cost incentivises free services tied to advertising or to options to upgrade to premium services.

The cost of software is irrelevant. Google admitted they were going to monetise the service in the future. They've done it already in certain countries. Google's Penny Pinching Is Costing It Customers - Forbes

Presumably having learned their lesson, the court made the (highly logical) finding that this monotisation would take place in Europe once Google were in a dominant position, and they were gaining that position because they were putting out the product totally free for now and wouldn't have any competition by the time they went to monetise. Now if they'd said "It's going to be free forever and ever" it's a different conversation. But they didn't.

[jo9jo]

AFAIK, Google Maps is free for private use.
If, however, it is used for commercial purposes, then a licence fee is payable to Google.

[Radix]

It's probably putting the Michelin crowd out of business! Vive la France, vive la Liberté!

Et la profitabilité?