Google in trouble with CCI again, this time for violating fair pricing rules

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : Google found itself in deeper trouble in India after the country’s antitrust watchdog ordered an investigation into the tech giant’s pricing methods, saying the company had implemented its policies in a “discriminatory manner". The Competition Commission of India on Friday said it will probe Google’s pricing model within 60 days, without immediately passing a verdict or enforcing penalties. CCI’s decision has wider implications for Google, the dominant mobile operating platform in India, given the watchdog’s earlier rulings as well as the company’s run-ins with the domestic app ecosystem.

In a 21-page order on Friday, a copy of which Mint has seen, CCI said Google’s policies discriminated between physical and digital services offered through apps on the Google Play app marketplace. Google does not charge any fee for apps that offer services such as food delivery, ride-hailing, or e-commerce. But digital services such as dating or music streaming platforms are subject to fees ranging from 11% to 30%.

The Competition Commission was hearing three separate appeals against Google, led by Anupam Mittal’s People Group, alleging that such differentiation between services was based on “an arbitrary distinction." Google did not immediately issue a statement on the matter. Mittal did not respond to a request for comment. The competition watchdog has pulled up Google earlier as well.

In October 2022, the CCI passed two separate orders in which it had found Google to have engaged in anti-competitive market practices through its Android mobile operating system and its Play store. The regulator had fined Google ₹2,273.44 crore ($274 million) for its violations—which Google has since contested. A second investigation on