Google Moves Supreme Court Challenging CCI's Android Antitrust Order

The CCI in October penalised the Alphabet Inc unit $161 million for exploiting its dominant position in the market for Android, which powers 97 per cent of smartphones in India

The CCI ruled in October that Google's licensing of its Play Store "shall not be linked with the requirement of pre-installing" Google search services, the Chrome browser, YouTube or any other Google applications.

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US tech giant Google has filed a legal challenge in Supreme Court to block a ruling by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that will force the firm to change how it markets its Android platform, news agency Reuters reported. The CCI, India’s antitrust watchdog, in October penalised Alphabet Inc, the parent firm of Google, with $161 million for exploiting its dominant position in the market for Android, which powers 97 per cent of smartphones in India and is a key growth region for the US major.

The challenge comes after Google suffered a setback on Wednesday when an appeals tribunal rejected its request to block the antitrust ruling.

Google argued that implementation of the CCI's directives will hurt its long-standing business model and consumer interests, Reuters said.

According to the Supreme Court records, Google filed a challenge against the tribunal ruling on Saturday. A hearing date is yet to be fixed.

Citing sources privy to the development, Reuters earlier this week said that Google considers a legal challenge as its last hope of blocking the ruling of the CCI, whose directives forcing the company to change its business model kick in on January 19.

Google's filing in the Supreme Court seeks to put the CCI decision on hold while its appeal is heard, said a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Google has been concerned about the Indian decision as the remedies ordered are seen as more sweeping than the European Commission's landmark 2018 ruling for imposing unlawful restrictions on Android mobile device makers. Google has challenged the record $4.3 billion fine in that case.

The CCI ruled in October that Google's licensing of its Play Store "shall not be linked with the requirement of pre-installing" Google search services, the Chrome browser, YouTube or any other Google applications.