Google may be under hot water after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) started examining Google’s Android practices because of complaints from unspecified people last year.
Now, the CCI has ordered a complete investigation of Google. Two unnamed sources told Reuters that the preliminary found Google abused the “dominant position of its Android operating system to block rivals.”
When it comes to smartphones, it really comes down to whether you use Android or iOS. A January 2018 Newzoo article found that worldwide, Android dominates the market — largely due to China and India.
So, it’s no small thing for the CCI to begin looking into Google’s business practices. If Google is found guilty, TechCrunch reported that it could be fined up to 10 percent of its local revenue of 300 percent of its net profit.
“Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable,” a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch. “We look forward to working with the Competition Commission of India to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less.”
This isn’t the first time a nation has looked into Google regarding antitrust practices. In March, the European Union (EU) hit Google with its third antitrust fine. The company has paid a total of €8.2 billion — $9 billion U.S. — in fines to the EU.
As Google continues to stack up fines, one big question is whether they’re implementing changes. The goal of a fine is generally to encourage a change in behavior, but Google continues to get caught up in antitrust cases and violations.
