Google accused of abusing Android TV's dominance in India: Report

After speaking to people familiar with the matter, Reuters found that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating claims that Google is turning Android TV into a walled garden.

Specifically, Google has been accused of engaging in anti-competitive practices by stopping other companies "from using both the Android system and a modified version of it on different devices they make".

The case pertains to companies like Xiaomi and TCL, both of which have signed contracts to use Android in their products.

They allege that Google is pushing the agreements to keep them from using the software of Google's rivals like Amazon.

This means if the company sells smartphones based on Google's Android, it cannot sell smart TVs running the Amazon Fire TV system.

Since CCI filings are not disclosed publicly, more details of the case are still under wraps.

The lawyers confirmed that Google is facing the charges but denied to provide any specific details.

However, the third person familiar with the case did say that CCI has sought written responses from Google, and the company has asked for more time to explain its side.

So far, none of the involved parties, including Google, have commented on the matter.

However, if the CCI finds merit in the allegations against the company, it could order a broader investigation, which could land Google into further trouble.

Notably, the company is already facing pushback from several Indian start-ups, and the government is also planning its own app store to cut its dominance.