Following a judgement by the country's antitrust regulator,
Google is suspending its policy that forces app developers to use its Google
Play billing system to purchase digital goods and services in India, according
to Reuters.
Google had previously given developers in India till October
31 to comply with its payment rules.
The search engine giant should not bar app developers from
using third-party billing or payment processing services in India, according to
the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which also fined Google $113 million
last week.
According to a post on Google's website on Tuesday, it is
assessing its legal alternatives as it plans to grow its Android and Play
services.
The CCI also directed Google to adjust its approach to its
Android platform last month, fining the company another $162 million for
anticompetitive conduct relating to its operating system.
It has been chastised around the world, particularly in
South Korea, for requiring software developers who use its app store to employ
a proprietary in-app payment system.
According to the blog, users outside of the country are
still required to use its billing system.
Google is considering a court fight to stop India's
antitrust watchdog from changing its approach to its Android operating system,
fearing that it may limit how the platform is promoted, individuals with direct
knowledge of the issue told Reuters last week.
The verdicts come at a time when Google is facing growing
antitrust investigations throughout the world. It suffered a significant defeat
last month when a European court upheld a 2018 judgement, mainly upholding a
determination that the business put "unlawful restrictions on producers of
Android mobile devices." Google intends to challenge the ruling, which
could result in a record $4.1 billion penalty.