Google receives partial relief in Android antitrust case in India

Google got some relief in key overseas market India on Wednesday after a court overturned four of 10 policies, including the need to allow third-party app stores to host the Play Store and restrict users from uninstalling preinstalled apps, in one Antitrust proceedings related to the abuse of the company’s dominant position in Android.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal upheld the $161 million fine imposed on Google by India’s local Competition Commission, saying the earlier ruling “did not violate the principles of natural justice,” offered the Android Manufacturers, however, some relief.

India is the largest market for Google by users. According to research firm Counterpoint, 97% of the country’s 600 million smartphones are powered by the Android operating system. The regulator’s ruling prompted Google to make several changes to its business practices that many analysts argued could derail the company’s global operations.

Google pledged in 2020 to invest $10 billion in the South Asian market over the coming years. It has already funded up to $5.5 billion to local telecom giants Jio Platforms and Airtel.

The CCI had also instructed Google not to deny OEMs, developers and competitors access to Play Services APIs and not to restrict an app developer’s ability to side-load their apps. These two directions were also set aside by NCLAT, which said these four directions were “unsustainable”.

Google had argued that the CCI’s order suffered from “confirmation bias” and was too similar to a 2018 European Commission ruling. The company had also argued that Google’s dominance of the smartphone market was not evidence that it was abusing its power.

The CCI had instructed Google not to force smartphone manufacturers to bundle so many Google apps on their phones by default. It had also asked the company to give users the ability to remove Google apps, use third-party billing options on the Play Store and change their search engine if they wish.

Google, which appealed the order, agreed to make some changes to its business practices nonetheless. The company said it will allow smartphone vendors in India to license individual apps for pre-installation on their Android devices. Consumers also have the option to switch search engines and use third-party billing options for apps and game purchases on the Play Store, the company said.