China's antitrust investigation into Google, which does not offer most of its consumer-facing services including search and email in the country, seems to make little sense on the surface, but analysts said the move could be seen as a warning shot to the US and a threat to the Android operating system.

China has initiated an antitrust investigation into Google, primarily targeting the Android operating system. This could be a strategic warning to Washington amidst ongoing trade tensions. The investigation is also focused on removing restrictions imposed on Chinese smartphone makers.

The quarter before, for instance, Alphabet beat Wall Street’s EPS estimates by nearly 15 percent, as the chart below from Public.com illustrates.  Notably, Alphabet also announced $75 billion in capital expenditures for 2025 to continue investing in artificial intelligence.