How Google’s Android tweaks might play out

What did Google promise?

Key changes include enabling device manufacturers to license individual Google apps to be pre-installed on devices. Give Indian users the option to choose a default search engine on their Android phone. We are updating the Android Compatibility Requirements to introduce changes that allow partners to build incompatible or “forked” variants of her Android operating system. Google is also expanding “user choice billing” to all users, which has been piloted since September last year. This means that all app developers can use third-party payment methods when distributing their apps through the Play Store.

Which CCI orders does Google comply with?

The CCI fined Google in two separate orders issued last October. ¥133.776 billion rupees and ¥$936 million each. The first abused its control over the Android Marketplace through agreements restricting access to competitors, and the second abused its control through Play Store policies, allowing developers to access Google’s built-in payment system. had to sell services and digital using Receive items and pay commissions on the Play Store. Through these two orders, CCI asked Google to allow third-party payment systems and change its licensing agreements with device manufacturers and developers.

Are your modifications compliant with the CCI Directive?

Competition law experts said the change complies to some extent with CCI’s orders, but the company itself has said it will continue to appeal several of the directives. We will hear Google’s appeal. The lawsuit could last him more than a year, according to his attorney, so it may be too early to say the changes are permanent.

Any concerns about these changes?

Concerns include a lack of clarity about how these new changes will be implemented. For example, Google has decoupled its own apps from his Android, but it is unclear how they will charge for these services and whether they will be uninstallable. It’s also unclear how security updates are delivered to forked versions of Android. The startup founder noted that while Google now offers third-party payments, the fees the company charges for using third-party billing methods remain a concern.

What does this mean for users?

In the EU, antitrust fines have led Google to start putting “selection screens” on Android smartphones, allowing users to choose their default search engine and browser. The same is expected in India. The operating system installs apps from outside the Play Store, even if the user did not download them from the default store, as Android now flags malicious apps.