Google loses bid to block Indian Android antitrust ruling in major setback

A three-judge bench at the Supreme Court, which included India's chief justice, delayed the Jan. 19 implementation of the CCI's directives by one week, but declined to block them. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Google on Thursday lost its fight in India's Supreme Court to block an antitrust order, in a major setback that will force the US tech giant to change the business model of its popular Android operating system in a key growth market.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ruled in October that Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc, exploited its dominant position in Android and told it to remove restrictions imposed on device makers, including related to pre-installation of apps. It also fined Google $161 million.