Google has been fined more than $160 million by India's anti-trust watchdog after a probe found the tech behemoth was abusing its commanding position in the local smartphone market.
But the Competition Commission of India said the operating system was configured to unlawfully crowd out rivals to YouTube, web browser Chrome and other popular Google apps. "Markets should be allowed to compete on merits and the onus is on that its conduct does not impinge this competition on merits," it added.
It also told Google not to enter into any agreement with smartphone makers that would encourage them to only sell Android-based devices or exclusively use its software.A deep dive into the big business story of the week, as well as expert analysis of markets and trends."The CCI's decision is a major setback for Indian consumers and businesses, opening serious security risks for Indians... and raising the cost of mobile devices," a spokesperson told AFP.