Google is under investigation for antitrust violations in India because ``fees charged to developers are too high''

The Competition Commission of India (CCI), India's antitrust law enforcement agency, believes that Google's 30% commission on app developers is excessive pricing and calls for an investigation into Google. It is reported that it showed. This came in response to complaints from app developers and industry bodies in India.

Competition Commission of India, Government of India

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/15/india-orders-antitrust-probe-into-google-app-store-practices/

Start-up showdown: CCI launches probe into Google's Play Store Billing policy, excessive pricing - The Hindu BusinessLine
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/start-up-showdown-cci-launches-probe-into-googles-play-store-billing-policy-excessive-pricing/article67955187.ece

At the end of February 2024, Google removed dozens of popular apps from the Google Play Store for India due to ``consistent compliance by Indian companies with Google's billing policies.'' Google later restored the app, but Indian developers and companies filed complaints with the CCI.

In response to the complaint, the CCI said, 'Given the complete dependence of app developers on the Google Play Store, the 10% to 30% commission charged by Google appears to be unfair in itself.' The court determined that Google had violated the provisions of the 2002 Competition Law, which is equivalent to Japan's antimonopoly law, and ordered a detailed investigation.

Additionally, CCI notes that despite similar features on the Google Play Store, fees are inconsistent between apps offering digital goods and services and apps offering physical goods and services, and Google has implemented its billing policies in an unreasonable and discriminatory manner.

by Yuri Samoilov

CCI warns that unfair and discriminatory business practices leveraging Google's dominant position could distort competition in India's mobile app market, and will report detailed findings within 60 days I'm looking for.

Google said: ``The CCI previously conducted a detailed investigation into Google's fees from 2020 to 2022 and concluded that it did not find any illegality.'' We take that commitment seriously and will cooperate in that process in every way possible.'

Lal Chand Bis, co-founder and CEO of Kuku FM, one of the companies that filed a complaint with the CCI, said, ``Google is the worst corporate evil.The Indian startup system is completely under their control.'' We will never be able to operate safely if our ecosystem is controlled by Google. We urge the Indian government to intervene to save the startup ecosystem. I'm looking for it.''

Google is the most evil company for businesses. Our Indian startup system is completely controlled by them.

Google delisted us in 2019 for 25 days without pre-notifying us. Worst days ever. Just imagine the atmosphere where the team is working daily in the office and there is no…

— Lal Chand Bisu (@lcbisu) March 1, 2024