The Competition Commission of India (CCI), acting under Section 48A(3) of the Competition Act, 2002, and the Competition Commission of India (Settlement) Regulations, 2024, has, by majority order, accepted Google’s settlement proposal in the Android TV case. The case originates from information filed under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002, by Mr. Kshitiz Arya and Mr. Purushottam Anand. 

It was alleged that the companies are involved in potential contraventions of the said laws. The case was filed against Google LLC, Google India Pvt. Ltd., Xiaomi Technology India Pvt. Ltd., and TCL India Holding Pvt. Ltd.

The Allegation 

It was alleged that Google misused its dominant position by enforcing restrictive agreements on OEMs, including compulsory bundling of the Play Store with Android TV OS and preventing the use or creation of rival forked Android versions through its Anti-Fragmentation Agreements. As per the plaintiff, such practices by the technological giant allegedly blocked market access, curbed competition, and placed unrelated obligations on Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), ultimately stifling innovation and violating provisions of Section 4 of the Act. 

The Investigation 

An investigation by the CCI found that Google's agreements—Television App Distribution Agreement (‘TADA’) and Android Compatibility Commitments (‘ACC’)—executed together, imposed
unfair terms by requiring the pre-installation of its full app bundle, Google TV Services, preventing OEMs from developing or using Android forks, and hindering innovation. 

Settlement offered by Google 

Google filed a Settlement Application under Section 48A of the Act, read with the Settlement Regulations. The Commission considered the settlement proposal and observed that under the "New India Agreement," Google will provide a standalone license for the Play Store and Play Services for Android smart TVs in India, thereby removing the requirement to bundle these services or impose default placement conditions. 

The final settlement amount, after applying a settlement discount of 15%, is Rs. 20.24 crore.