Google could face the Competition Commission of India, the infamous anti-trust watchdog, for a third time, this time for Android TV, after receiving fines twice in less than a month.
The CCI has investigated Google’s unrivalled dominance and misuse in the smart TV market, the Economic Times said. Google prohibits OEMs from producing, distributing, and selling smart TVs on any platform other than Android. OEMs must enter a licencing arrangement with Google and utilise Android out of necessity.
The report also claims that OEMs that wish to avoid signing an agreement with Google are not allowed access to Google Play Service, which forms an integral part of the smart TV experience.
One person closely involved in the CCI proceedings said Google denies market access to manufacturers who fail to sign an agreement with the giant, retarding the growth of an emerging OEM.
“The emerging smart TV sector in India is thriving, due in part to Google’s free licensing model, and Android TV competes with numerous well-established TV OSes such as FireOS, Tizen, and WebOS. We are confident that our smart TV licensing practices are in compliance with all applicable competition laws," a Google spokesperson told Economic Times, commenting on the matter and denying allegations.
In the past month, Google received two fines for their unrivalled dominance of the Android market and Play Store: one for Rs. 1,338 crores and the other for Rs. 936 crores.
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