Google CEO Sundar Pichai has dropped a heavy hint that handset makers and operators may face higher costs to use Android, after the European Commission imposed its largest-ever fine on the search engine giant. Pichai warned in a blog post that the EC’s judgement, and the €4.3bn fine, could “upset the careful balance that we have struck with Android”. His indirect argument is that Google is able to offer Android free because it pre-installs applications – the very reason the EC has ruled against it. Android has been free to use since it launched in 2007. Of course, the base code is open source, but the ‘official’ implementation, conforming to the Open Handset Alliance specifications, also comes free of charge.…