Key Points

In a statement, Google said, "We are committed to abiding by applicable local laws in every country where we operate and are grateful to the CCI for the opportunity to engage and present our case. We also thank the CCI for instituting processes which enable constructive engagements between companies and the market, allowing for continued investment and growth."

The Competition Commission of India on Monday, through a majority order, approved Google's proposal under Section 48A (3) of the Competition Act, 2002 and the Competition Commission of India (Settlement) Regulations, 2024.

This approval marked a significant development in the long-running case concerning Google's practices in the Android TV ecosystem in India.

The investigation by the CCI concluded that Android Smart TV OS holds a dominant position in the Indian market for "licensable Smart TV device operating systems." Similarly, the Google Play Store was found to be dominant in the market for app stores for Android Smart TV OS in the country.

The Commission found that Google had violated competition norms through its agreements with device manufacturers. These agreements--Television App Distribution Agreement (TADA) and Android Compatibility Commitments (ACC)--required Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to pre-install the full Google TV Services app bundle. This prevented OEMs from developing or using forked versions of Android and limited innovation.

The agreements also tied services like YouTube with the Play Store across the entire device portfolio, thereby increasing Google's dominance and breaching several provisions of Section 4 of the Act.

However, the allegation related to refusal to deal and exclusive supply under Section 3(4) of the Act was not found to be substantiated.

The allegations centered around Google's use of restrictive agreements with OEMs that allegedly blocked competition, limited market access, and placed unfair conditions on manufacturers.

After reviewing the nature, seriousness, and impact of the violations, the Commission decided to accept Google's settlement proposal. The final settlement amount, after a 15 per cent discount, has been set at Rs. 20.24 crore.

- ANI