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Japan has issued a stop-and-desist order saying Google is saying to stop pushing smartphone manufacturers to install its search services on Android phones.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission said on Tuesday that Google has unfairly hampered competition by asking for preferential treatment for its search and smartphone manufacturers browser in violation of the country’s anti-monopoly law.
The Antitrust watchdog said Google, until July 2020, asked at least six Android smartmakers to install its apps in advance when they signed the license for the American Tech giant’s app store, Nikkei thing reported.
This included the Chrome browser, which was placed on smartphous houses on designated positions.
In exchange for Google apps on home screens, the company guaranteed advertising revenue to four telephone makers and a telecommunications operator.
Such an arrangement forms ‘trade on restrictive conditions’ prohibited under the Antitrust Act, the commission said.
“This is the first time a stop-and-stop order has been issued to a large technical company in Japan,” the commission noted, adding that US and European regulators have made similar moves to stop the monopoly of some digital businesses.
Japan’s anti-monopoly law limits companies to do business on conditions and transactions that unfairly impede competition.
The commission concluded that Google’s contractual arrangements effectively blocked potential market attractions and denied existing competitors access to users.
The contracts sold at least 80 percent of the Android devices in Japan.
The commission has ordered Google to stop these practices, to withhold similar future behavior and inform parties involved about the affirmative measures.
According to Google, Google calls the Cease-and-Desist notice “deplorable” according to Kyodo News. In a statement, the company said the Japanese smartphone manufacturers and telecommunications operators were not “forced to do transactions” with that.
The independent has reached out to Google for comment.
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