Google has come under fire for requiring certain apps to be installed on Android phones, and India is the latest country to slap the company with a multimillion-dollar fine.

According to TechCrunch, India’s competition regulator is investigating whether Google has a dominant position in five sectors: licensable OS for smartphones, app store, web search services, non-OS specific mobile web browsers, and online video hosting. The regulator has since concluded that Google has a dominant position in all of these areas, but particularly with Google’s practise of requiring certain apps to be pre-installed on Android phones, as well as other requirements the company has for Android partners.

According to a press release issued by India’s regulator, Google’s requirement to install its entire suite of apps and to have those apps appear on the home screen “amounts to the imposition of unfair conditions on the device manufacturers.” According to the regulator, Google’s terms have “reduced device manufacturers’ ability and incentive to develop and sell devices operating on alternative versions of Android.”

Google will be fined approximately $161.9 million and ordered not to offer any incentives to smartphone manufacturers to exclusively carry Google Search on their devices.

The order also states that Android OEMs in the country “shall not be restrained” from selecting which of Google’s apps will be pre-installed on devices and that Play Store licensing must not be linked with pre-installing Google apps like Chrome, Gmail, YouTube, and “any” other apps. Furthermore, the order requires Google to “not deny access” to Play Services to Android forks (heavily modified versions of the OS), and Google cannot incentivize OEMs not to sell devices based on an Android fork. Finally, the order requires Google to allow third-party app stores to be distributed through the Play Store and to not restrict sideloading in any way.

While Google has yet to respond to this ruling and order, the company is expected to argue against the order’s demand that third-party app stores be distributed through the Play Store, as well as many of the order’s other demands.

Of course, Google has received other fines and demands from regulators around the world in recent years. The EU upheld a €4.1 billion fine for similar concerns, while South Korea fined Google for limiting heavy Android skins. The US is also pursuing antitrust actions against Google, which includes Android and the Play Store. Google largely opposes many of the rulings and, in one case, chastised the EU for not taking similar action against Apple, which restricts access to its iOS platform far beyond that of Android.

Requirement to create android app store same like google play store

There is a growing demand for Android app stores similar to the Google Play Store. This is because many Android users are not satisfied with the current selection of app stores. They want a store that offers a broader range of apps, is easier to use and provides better customer service. 

To create an Android app store that meets these requirements, you will need to have a strong understanding of the Android platform and how it works. You will also need to be familiar with the Google Play Store and how it operates. In addition, you will need to have a team of experienced developers who can create high-quality apps. Finally, you will need to have a good marketing strategy in place to promote your store and attract customers.