![](\"http:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/india-antitrust-body-to-probe-google-s-in-app-billing-amid-dispute-with-startups.jpg\")
India\u2019s antitrust body on Friday ordered a probe into Alphabet Inc\u2019s Google (GOOGL.O) in an ongoing dispute with local startups over its in-app billing system, saying the U.S. company implemented its policies in a \u201cdiscriminatory manner\u201d.<\/p>\n
Indian startups have been at odds with Google for months over the fee it charges for in-app payments. The dispute escalated earlier this month after Google removed more than 100 Indian apps from its app store for violations related to billing, though it restored them after the Indian government intervened.The startups had asked the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to look into the matter, and the watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation saying \u201cGoogle is implementing its policies in a discriminatory manner\u201d.The CCI also directed its investigation unit to complete the probe within 60 days.Google did not immediately respond to Reuters\u2019 request for comment.The dispute centres on efforts by some Indian startups to stop Google from imposing a fee of 11% to 26% on in-app payments, after the country\u2019s antitrust authorities ordered it to dismantle a system of charging 15% to 30% in 2022.Google denies wrongdoing and says it charges the fee for supporting investments in Google Play app store and the Android mobile operating system, ensuring it distributes it for free.The CCI has already spent months looking into startups\u2019 complaint that Google is not following the earlier antitrust directive that prevents it from taking adverse measures against companies which use alternate billing systems.Follow the
\nCyprus Mail on Google News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
India’s antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc’s Google for its in-app billing system policies, which are alleged to be implemented in a discriminatory manner against local startups. This decision follows complaints from Indian startups about the fees Google charges for in-app payments. The dispute intensified after Google removed over 100 Indian apps from its app store for billing violations, which were later restored following intervention by the Indian government. The CCI has directed its investigation unit to complete the probe within 60 days. Google, which denies any wrongdoing, asserts that the fees are for supporting investments in the Google Play app store and the Android mobile operating system, allowing for their free distribution. This investigation comes after Google was previously ordered by Indian antitrust authorities in 2022 to dismantle a system that charged a 15% to 30% fee on in-app payments, with efforts from some Indian startups to prevent Google from imposing a fee of 11% to 26%.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[245,2150,732,279,33,426,3,250,415,2151,937,1419,148,483],"class_list":["post-4369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyprus","tag-alphabet","tag-antitrust-probe","tag-apps","tag-comment","tag-companies","tag-competition","tag-cyprus","tag-google","tag-government","tag-in-app-billing","tag-india","tag-investigation","tag-local","tag-violations"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"\n