Furthermore, Google gained a lot of money through Android, it's in no way a charity or a gift.
And given that they gave it for free to destroy all competition, charging money all of a sudden for it might attract some regulatory attention even in the US.
There's no discussion about 'who invested the most', because it's besides the point.
The point is that Android is a massive investment - full stop.
Linux is irrelevant to the equation.
There is definitely a giftable aspect to Android in that manufacturers can use the software for free and leverage most of Google's investment for free without a cent to Google.
Of course Google is making money, and that's their objective, (nobody is going to state otherwise) however - because of the EU's directive, Google can't make money using their current business model, ergo, cannot recoup their cost or make a profit, ergo - the product is dead in that zone. Were this ruling to happen for North America as well ... either Google starts to charge for Android - or Android is put on the shelf.
Google invests heavily in Android, and if their current business model is not allowed, then they'll have to charge for it, which may mean all those who use Android 'for free' may not have the option, which is not good either.
The EU's ruling is kind of stupid and self defeating:
Is Apple allowed to bundle all their money-making crap? Of course?
Nokia? Of course!
MS? Of course?
So if Android is made totally private, and it only comes as 'one version' i.e. 'with all their crap' - is the EU really going to force Google to separate the products? It's completely stupid.
If the EU wants to force Apple to sell iOS separately from the iPhone, and force them to also remove all their bundled crap ... well then they can do that but the stupidity is even more exposed.
The EU should focus on getting their companies to make great products instead of stopping fairly benign innovators from doing stuff - and holding their own consumers back.
The 'complexity' of Linux is not relevant - it's a part of the underlying platform, in much the same way that it is in so many other products.
Competitive manufacturers, mobile OS makers etc. all have access to the same Linux that Google does.
Google has invested massively in Android, it's a product of theirs.
If they can't 'bundle' whilst giving it away for free, their going to justify their investment by locking it up and selling it for money.