Google plans to make many changes to Android in India in response to the latest crackdown on the company.
Forced to add many updates to the platform, such as allowing users to choose their default search engine and allowing device manufacturers to license individual apps to be pre-installed on their phones. It has been.
The change is the result of a demand by India’s antitrust regulator, which accused Google of “abusing” its powers over Android.
Mobile platforms are found on almost every smartphone in India and it is estimated that 97% of such devices run software.
India is the latest company to crack down on Google amid concerns over its dominance and use of its power in smartphones. This comes days after the company was sued in the US by the Department of Justice for abusing control of his Android and smartphones.
In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said Google was forced to take action because it mistreated smartphone makers when licensing its apps.
Google initially challenged the CCI’s findings of using “unfair” business practices, was fined $161 million, and had to make a number of changes to Android. India’s Supreme Court, which had argued that the changes were unprecedented in their “pervasive” nature, could not reverse its decision.
However, Google announced last week that it would eventually follow the rules. And now I’ve posted a blog post explaining the changes the company is about to make.
In addition to licensing individual apps and choosing its own search engine, Google is changing the way partners build their own versions of Android, allowing developers to pay separately rather than Google’s own system. Provide a method and make it easy for users to install. Non-Play Store apps. We will also publish new information about these changes on our website.
The company suggests that the change could be difficult and time consuming to implement. “Implementing these changes across the ecosystem is a complex process, requires a lot of work on our part, and often involves partners, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and developers. It will require significant effort from the company,” the company said in a statement.