Amazon's 'Entry' into Google-CCI case fires up Rivalry between the two tech giants

Google's high-profile battle against India's antitrust authority, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has sparked a fight between two digital titans--Google and Amazon--in a new vertical, the Android market sector.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) fined Google Rs 1,337 crore earlier this year and ordered it to drop the contentious "Android compatibility commitment and the mobile application distribution agreement" that allegedly hurts other Android players. While Google paid the fine, it claims that CCI's instruction to remove its policy was intended "to protect and enable Amazon to compete" with it.

A query to Amazon received the following response: "We do not have any comments on the development." Google likewise declined to comment because the case is still pending.
According to experts, the development has the potential to exacerbate the war between the two US-giants not just in the Android market, but in all other verticals in the world's largest consumer market. It is also seen as a conflict between two digital advertising walled gardens.

This is the first time Google has named Amazon in the case and called its competitor's motivated parties," an industry source stated, adding that Google referenced Amazon 72 times in its 604-page appeal, Samsung 50 times, and other players numerous times. The revelations have baffled the e-commerce giant since it lacks locus standi in the legal action. The corporation was not a party in the case before CCI, NCLAT, or the Supreme Court. According to industry sources, the corporation may investigate its options if the case happens. 

Amazon did appear before the CCI as a "witness" in July 2022, when the CCI questioned industry players such as Amazon, Mozilla, and device manufacturers during the Google investigation." According to a source, Amazon claimed in its application that it has "significant difficulties in finding OEM partners to manufacture smart TVs running its Fire OS due to Google's Android compatibility commitment clause.