Google says Android smartphones will get expensive, warns of threat to user security: here’s why 

The CCI ordered Google to stop preventing app developers from using other companies for billing or payments and to not limit how end users use apps.

By Ankita Chakravarti: Google has warned that the Competition Commission of India’s latest ruling will make smartphones more expensive in the country. The tech giant also warned about the potential threat to users’ security. In 2022, CCI imposed a fine of Rs 2273 crore on Google in two different orders. The company was fined Rs 1337 crore for misusing its dominant position in the Android mobile device ecosystem and Rs 936 crores for abusing its monopoly through Play Store. CCI had accused Google of getting into one-sided agreements with smartphone makers to ensure that its apps dominate the Android ecosystem.

Now Google has approached the Supreme Court against CCI’s ruling. The company has argued that the move by CCI will stall Android growth in India.

Why did CCI find Google?

The antitrust watchdog CCI had accused Google of partnering with smartphone makers to pre-install Google apps in the phones. CCI said that Google should not force the smartphone companies pre-install the apps. The watchdog asked Google to provide fair access to all stake holders. CCI wants other ecosystems to also come into action as it feels that it is currently being dominated by Google. However, the tech giant has claimed that it faces tough competition from Apple.

The CCI said that Google has been using this power in ways that go against Indian competition laws. The CCI ordered Google to stop preventing app developers from using other companies for billing or payments and to not limit how end users use apps. The CCI also told Google not to treat its own payment app, Google Pay, better than other apps that use the same payment system in India.

Google warns about security risks and expensive smartphones

Google in a blog post has said that CCI’s order strikes a blow at the ecosystem-wide efforts to accelerate digital adoption in the country.The search giant said when Android first launched in 2008, smartphones were very expensive, but in the past few years, Google has made it possible for phone manufacturers to…