First EU, now India fines Google for abusing Android dominance

The European Union fined Google an enormous ~$4.3 billion again in 2018 over anticompetitive Android practices. Now, India’s competitors watchdog has fined Google ~$162 million for a similar violations.

The Competitors Fee of India introduced the tremendous in a press launch (h/t: TechCrunch), saying that Google abused its dominance in a number of areas throughout the Android ecosystem.

India’s watchdog took concern with a number of agreements Google had with OEMs, such because the cellular app distribution settlement (MADA), anti-fragmentation settlement (AFA), Android compatibility dedication settlement (ACCA), and income sharing settlement (RSA).

MADA ensures that the likes of Google Search, Chrome, and YouTube had been pre-installed on handsets. The AFA and ACCA barred producers from creating their very own Android fork. In the meantime, income sharing agreements noticed Google paying OEMs for search exclusivity.

Modifications incoming for Indian market?

Along with the ~$162 million tremendous, the fee outlined quite a few measures Google must take. This contains barring Google from forcing OEMs to pre-install their apps, and barring the corporate from denying entry to the Play Companies API. In outlining the latter, the fee stated this is able to assist guarantee app compatibility between Google’s tackle Android and Android forks.

Talking of Android forks, the watchdog’s measures additionally notice that OEMs ought to be allowed to make gadgets based mostly on forked variations of Android, and that Google shouldn’t incentivize OEMs for not promoting these gadgets.

Lastly, the fee known as on Google to permit customers to decide on their default search engine upon setup. This measure particularly ought to be acquainted, as Google was pressured to implement this feature by the EU.