new Delhi: Google is preparing to approach India’s Supreme Court within days to try to block a ruling by the country’s antitrust watchdog that would force the US company to change how it markets its Android platform. brought, two people familiar with its strategy told Reuters. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) in October slapped a $161 million penalty on the Alphabet Inc entity for exploiting its dominant position in the market for Android, which powers 97% of smartphones in India, a deal for the US giant. is a major development area.
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However, Google is concerned about the Indian decision as the measures are seen as more comprehensive than the European Commission’s landmark 2018 decision to impose unlawful restrictions on Android mobile device makers. Google has challenged a record $4.3 billion fine in that case.
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In India, Google is now set to file a legal challenge in the Supreme Court as the antitrust watchdog’s January 19 deadline to implement changes to its model looms, the first source with direct knowledge said.
A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Supreme Court’s stance comes after Google suffered a setback on Wednesday when a tribunal turned down its request to block an antitrust ruling. The company argued that the implementation of the CCI directions would harm its long-standing business model and consumer interest.
Google is of the view that some of the CCI directions cannot be implemented, and the company has “no other option” but to approach the Supreme Court for relief, the source said.
Google licenses its Android system to smartphone makers, but critics say it imposes restrictions such as mandatory pre-installation of its own apps that are anti-competitive. The company argues that such agreements help keep the operating system free.
The CCI ruled in October that the licensing of Google’s own Play Store “shall not be linked to the requirement to pre-install Google search services, the Chrome browser, YouTube or any other Google application.”
Separately, Google has alleged in its filing that the CCI’s probe unit copied a European 2018 ruling against the US firm, Reuters reported. The CCI and the European Commission have not responded to those allegations.