Google asks India's Supreme Court to block $161.9 million Android antitrust ruling

The order was to come into effect on January 19.

Google has turned to India's Supreme Court as its "last hope" to block an order that could reshape the Android ecosystem. Last October, India's Competition Commission (ICC) fined Google $161.9 million and banned the search giant from requiring OEMs to pre-install Google apps and services on their phones. . On Wednesday, an appeals tribunal rejected the company's request to block the decision, which is due to take effect on January 19. According to court documents seen by Reuters, Google on Saturday challenged the court's decision in the nation's highest court. The company would view this effort as its last and best hope to prevent the CCI order from impacting its business. Google did not immediately respond to Engadget's request for comment.

While the $161.9 million fine is minimal for Google, the order will likely force the company to drastically change its agreements with Android makers. The ICC seeks to prevent Google from including "anti-fragmentation" clauses that prohibit Android forks. The order would also require the company to allow third-party app stores on Google Play and allow users to uninstall first-party apps they don't want on their phones. India is a critical market for Google. The country is home to around 606.6 million smartphone users and around 97% of phones in India run on Android. In other words, the company cannot afford to exit the market.

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