Google makes changes to Android in India after antitrust setbacks

Google makes changes to how Android promoted in IndiaMove comes after India antitrust body rulings, court setbacksIndia key market for AndroidGoogle says will continue to appeal

Android orderNEW DELHI, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Google said on Wednesday it will allow device makers in India to license its individual apps for pre-installation and give an option to

users to choose their default search engine, announcing sweeping changes to how it promotes its Android system.The move comes after the country's Supreme Court upheld stringent

antitrust directives last week, rejecting a Google challenge against a Competition Commission of India ruling that said the company abused its market position, ordering it to

change how it markets its Android system in a key growth market.Google also made some changes related to its in-app billing system, which was at the centre of another Indian

antitrust decision recently where the company was found engaging in anti-competitive practices by restricting the use of third-party billing or payment processing

services."Implementation of these changes across the ecosystem will be a complex process and will require significant work at our end and, in many cases, significant efforts from

partners, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers," Google said in a blog post.Google had been concerned about India's Android decision as the directives were seen

as more sweeping than those imposed in the European Commission's landmark 2018 ruling against the operating system.About 97% of 600 million smartphones in India run on Android,

while in Europe, the system accounts for 75% of the 550 million smartphones, according to Counterpoint Research estimates.LOWER TRIBUNAL APPEALThe CCI ruled in October that Google,

owned by Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O), exploited its dominant position in Android and told it to remove restrictions on device makers, including those related to pre-installation of apps

and ensuring exclusivity of its search. It also fined Google $161 million.Hoping to block the implementation of the CCI directives, Google had approached the Supreme Court, warning

that growth of its Android ecosystem will stall. It said it would be forced to alter arrangements with more than 1,100 device manufacturers and thousands of app developers if the

directives kick in.But the Supreme Court refused to block the directives as Google sought. The court had also said a lower tribunal - where Google first challenged the Android

directives - can continue to hear the company's appeal and must rule by March 31."We continue to respectfully appeal certain aspects of the CCI’s decisions," Google said.The U.S.