India has fined Google for 9 million rupees for anti-competitive practices, which is the second such penalty in less than a week.
The EU regulators charged Google with abusing its dominance in the app store market to force app developers to use the company’s in-app payment system.
Before Apple decided to remove the 15-minute limit it previously set on paid apps, it asked the tech giant not to restrict developers from using third-party billing and payment services.
Google has not responded to the allegations.
Google has been an integral part of India’s rise as a digital powerhouse. With our model, we’ve been able to power the digital transformation in India and bridge the gap for millions of marginalized Indians.
“We remain committed to our users and developers. We’re currently reviewing the decision and evaluating the next steps,” the spokesperson said.
App developers have found themselves at a disadvantage because of Google’s policy changes. The Competition Commission of India has required that Google stops implementing certain policies that infringe on their sovereignty and requires them to exclusively use only the Search Engine giant’s payments system for distributing or selling apps and in-app services.
The European Union is asking Google to adopt eight remedies or adjustments within three months, including not restricting “app developers from using any third-party billing/payment processing services, either for in-app purchases or for purchasing apps” according to Reuters.
Google should ensure that app developers are fully aware of the fees they are charged when using Google services.
The order is yet another setback for Google. It’s facing a number of anti-trust allegations in India, and it slightly tarnishes the brand’s credibility in that region.
Tech giants with an Android operating system are the ones that attack smaller app developers. Last week, Google was fined $161 million for engaging in such behavior.
The CCI said that Google was entering into forced agreements with players in the space to ensure that its lineup of apps – including Chrome, YouTube, and Google Maps – were used.
After receiving a few complaints from consumers about Android-related issues, regulators in the US started a review about how Google is treating its users. The case is similar to one Google faced in Europe, where regulators imposed a $5 billion fine on the company for using its Android operating system to gain unfair advantage in the market.
The Commission for Corporate Affairs has ordered CCI to review their keyword-matching policy and decide on the next steps at a meeting in October. Google will be there, alongside other parties from the industry.