Google Intends to Block Indian Regulator’s Ruling

Google intends to take legal action to block India's antitrust regulator's ruling to change the approach to its Android operating system, fearing it would restrict promotion of the platform, Reuters reports.

Google was fined twice last week for a total of $275 million. The first fine was over its policy of charging app commissions and the other for abusing its position in the market for the Android operating system.

The decision by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) related to Google's Android monopoly has Google worried because it provides for more extensive remedial measures, imposing restrictions on a wide range of Google apps so Google plans to file a court appeal to block implementation of the antitrust directive.

In the wake of last week's fine, Google said in a statement that the CCI ruling was “a major setback for Indian consumers and businesses, opening serious security risks ... and raising the cost of mobile devices for Indians.”

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Google's lead lawyer in CCI disputes, tweeted that "inherent and patent infirmities" in the ruling make a challenge inevitable and likely to succeed.

Faisal Kawoosa, founder of Indian research company Techarc, believes the restrictions will force Google to think about other revenue models, such as charging device makers a licence fee for Android in India, as it does in Europe.

The CCI directions strike at the heart of Google's revenue model for Android - which relies on a volume game where larger the user base is, multiple the avenues to monetize,

Kawoosa said.

Google is also not happy with CCI's injunction directing it not to impose any restrictions in India on so-called "sideloading", the practice of downloading apps without using the app shop, and to allow other app shops to be available in the Play Store.