Indian Court Upholds Google’s Antitrust Fine

The antitrust regulator of India upheld a fine of approximately $160 million on Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., amidst increased scrutiny over the company’s plans to expand the global reach of its Android mobile operating system.

The court granted Google some of the corrective measures requested by the antitrust regulator. Google can maintain pre-loaded apps on new Android devices and block third-party app stores from its Play Store. Google can also continue restricting the distribution of third-party apps through other channels.

Read more: Google Works With Indian Regulator & Preps Agreement For Phone-Makers

The concessions help Google prevent a complete shakeup of how it operates its Android business in India. The company is trying to maintain its growth in one of the world’s biggest web services markets where it competes for ad revenue with rivals including Meta Platforms Inc.

Google has previously said the measures sought by the antitrust regulator would cripple efforts to get more people online, hinder user privacy and make Android, which accounts for more than 90% of India’s smartphone market, less affordable.

The antitrust watchdog, meanwhile, has argued Google wields too much power over the mobile market and has asserted that the company has adopted a different approach in other jurisdictions.