Google may face antitrust investigation from CCI in India over Android smart TVs

Google to face antitrust Investigation. Know more…

Thursday, 24th June 2021

Google may face antitrust investigations in India for allegedly abusing Android's dominant position in the Indian smart TV market. These cases were brought against Google by two personal defenders, Kshitiz Arya and Purushottam Anand, who led the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to order an investigation. ITC has directed the Director-General to submit a report within 60 days. The news came after EU antitrust authorities announced a formal investigation into Google's role in the online advertising market.

Google has reportedly abused its dominant position in the Android TV market by signing anti-competitive deals with Android TV makers such as Xiaomi and TCL. Therefore, Google's competitors such as Amazon have been unable to obtain a license for the TV operating system.

"The committee’s preliminary opinion is that by adjusting the pre-installation of Google’s proprietary applications (especially the Play Store) to the signing of ACC (Android Compatibility Commitment), it will apply to all Android devices manufactured/distributed/sold by manufacturers. For devices, Google has reduced the ability and motivation of device manufacturers to develop and sell devices that run on alternative versions of Android, that is, the Android branch, thus restricting technical or scientific development related to goods or services, thereby harming consumers’ interests. Law Article 4 (2) (b)", which means the commands that TechCrunch can access.

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CCI also claimed that Google requires television manufacturers to pre-install all of their apps, preventing OEMs from choosing other alternative app apps.

"In addition, ACC prevents OEMs from manufacturing, distributing, or selling other devices running on the competitor's Android operating system. Therefore, given Google's dominant position in the relevant market and the obvious effect of network, due to this restriction, this distribution developer Who Forks to the Android operating system were denied entry to the market, thus violating Article 4 (2) (c) of the Law, "Reading Orders".

However, Google denied wrongdoing and said its smart TV licensing practices were in compliance with all applicable competition laws. According to data from Counterpoint Research, India has sold more than 8 million smart TVs, 60 of which are powered by Google's Android.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

Indiatoday.in