India: Google found guilty of misusing Android dominance in India

Google appears to have misused its dominant position in India and reduced the ability of device manufacturers to opt for alternate versions of its Android mobile operating system, Indian officials found before ordering a wider probe in an antitrust case.

A 14-page order from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), reviewed by Reuters last week, found Google’s restrictions on manufacturers seemed to amount to imposition of “unfair conditions” under India’s competition law.

Reuters reported last month that the CCI had launched a probe in April against Google for its alleged abuse of Android’s dominant position to block rivals, but the contents of the directive detailing the initial assessment upon which that investigation was ordered have not been previously revealed.

The Indian case is similar to one Google faced in Europe, where regulators imposed a US$5 billion fine on the company for forcing manufacturers to pre-install its apps on Android devices. Google has appealed against the verdict.