CCI Orders Investigation Against Google

The Indian competition watchdog may open a third inquiry against Google for allegedly abusing its market dominance in the smart TV sector. The investigation has been completed, and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has turned in a report.

Acting on a complaint submitted by attorneys for two trusts, CCI has ordered an investigation into the alleged abuse of Google's Android TV smart television operating system in June 2021 after finding preliminary evidence.

To use Google's platform, television manufacturers must sign a licensing deal with the company. The conditions of these licensing agreements are allegedly rather onerous for equipment manufacturers.

According to allegations, Google Play Store is pre-installed on TVs made by firms that have agreements with Google for licensing purposes, while Play Store services are not accessible on TVs made by companies without such arrangements.

The investigation has also looked into the commitments for Android compatibility (ACC). These agreements forbid equipment makers from creating, offering for sale, or distributing any alternative smart television that is not based on Android.

According to Economic Times, a spokesperson of Google says, “The emerging smart TV sector in India is thriving, due in part to Google’s free licensing model, and Android TV competes with numerous well-established TV OSes such as FireOS, Tizen, and WebOS. We are confident that our smart TV licensing practices are in compliance with all applicable competition laws.”

Google has been accused of two different things in quick succession in one week. CCI has been ordered to pay a fine of INR 1,300 crore for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour in relation to its Android operating system and was also instructed to modify its strategy for its Android platforms. In a case where News Broadcasters and Digital Associations (NBDA) accused Google's parent companies Alphabet Inc, Google LLC, Google India, Google Ireland and Google Asia Pacific of dictating terms and conditions that were unfair to content creators connected to news organisations, CCI has recently ordered an investigation into the matter.