Google’s apps may be reduced in new Android smartphones, impact of decision against the company

The Competition Commission of India (CCI)’s decision last year against global tech company Google may have an impact on Android devices in the country. With this decision, Google will have to modify its software licensing agreements with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Samsung and Xiaomi in the country.

According to a leaked report, device manufacturers may continue to release Android devices like smartphones, tablets under the global MADA (Mobile Application Distribution License) in the country or opt for the new IMADA license. IMADA is said to be a new India-tailored agreement in which OEMs can choose to opt out of the pre-installation of 11 Google apps that come with every new Android phone. Under IMADA, there will be no need to keep the search bar and Google apps folder on the homescreen of the device.

Apart from this, users will also be able to choose their default search engine when setting up the phone. Tipster Kuba Wojciechowski (@Za_Raczke) recently posted a Tweet He had given important details about this and claimed to have access to documents related to it. Under the new IMADA license, smartphone makers will have the freedom to choose which Google apps they want to include. However, there is a condition that devices can be sold under IMADA only in India. Wojciechowski says that OEMs will still need to include core services that are required for the Google API.

Of the 60 crore smartphones in the country, about 97 percent run on Android. In October last year, CCI had imposed a fine of about $ 161 million on Alphabet Inc, the American company that runs Google, for misusing its dominant position in the Android market. The company had appealed against this in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). NCLAT had refused to put an interim stay on this penalty. After this Google challenged the order of NCLAT in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had refused to stay the penalty. The Supreme Court had asked the company to deposit 10 percent of the penalty amount under the order of NCLAT.