April 25, 2025
Trending News

Google fined $162M for restrictive actions on Android

  • October 21, 2022
  • 0

India’s competition regulator has fined Google about $162 million for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the smartphone market. In the investigation, the agency targeted four key deals


India’s competition regulator has fined Google about $162 million for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the smartphone market. In the investigation, the agency targeted four key deals that Google forced its partners to sign, which later paved the way for restrictions and allowed the company to exert excessive influence in the smartphone market.

For starters, the MADA deal has given the company an unfair advantage over its competitors in these segments by allowing Google services such as search, Chrome browser and YouTube to come pre-installed on Android devices. Under the ACC and AFA agreements, Google banned smartphone and tablet manufacturers from developing forks of Android and selling devices running Android-based software without a core Google service like Search.

The Competition Commission of India also states that Google is using the RSA agreement to gain exclusive benefits for its search service on Android phones. But Google had an unfair “competitive advantage” when it came to search advertising revenue. These searches also helped Google improve its service over time, while competitors stayed out of the mobile ecosystem. India’s latest antitrust fine reflects similar concerns voiced in the EU, which resulted in billions of dollars in fines for the search giant.

In addition to the fine for anticompetitive behavior at Google, the country’s competition authority has also issued a cease and desist order ordering the company to cease its problematic activities that allegedly violate antitrust laws. CCI told Google that smartphone manufacturers will no longer have to pre-install Google’s core apps like Gmail, Maps, YouTube and Chrome.

Additionally, Google can no longer force OEMs to pre-install the aforementioned apps if they seek a license to access the Google Play Store, the central repository where Android apps are listed for smartphone users to download. Google has also been asked to lift restrictions on the development of Android forks and the sale of devices running such software.

The Competition Commission of India has ordered Google to stop providing any incentives or preferences to brands that comply with its no-mailing policy. More importantly, smartphone users will be given the flexibility to set up and change any search engine they want when setting up their device. A Google representative told CNBC that the company will take into account the “narrow issues” outlined by the competition watchdog and chart a future course accordingly. But the company’s problems are not over yet. The Wall Street Journal reported that Google was sued in Texas for collecting biometric data on users’ faces and voices without their proper permission.

Source: Port Altele

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Exit mobile version