Dozens of India’s technology startups are collaborating together to challenge the U.S. tech giant Google, for lodging complaints with the government and courts.
Google, owner Alphabet Inc, has worked with many India’s booming startup sectors and made investments, but recently they are angered with many tech companies with their unfair practices.
Almost 99% of the smartphones belonging to India’s half a billion users are operated by Google’s Android mobile operating system. Some Indian startups reported that Google made excessive control for all types of apps and other services. But the company denies all the allegations.
The problem had started when Google removed popular payments app Paytm due to violating their policies from its Play Store. The founder of the firm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, said that the app returned to the Google platform a few hours later, after making some changes.
Sharma mentioned Google as “big daddy” and announced that they control Android phones as per an attendee. He asked for roughly 50 executives on the call for joining together. He also said that they need to join together to control our digital destiny.
An idea about launching a local rival against Google’s app store was raised. Sharma said about the idea that it would immediately be effective against Google’s dominance.
Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp which backed Paytm, did not make any response to the present situation. Some apps like Dream Sports, Tiger Global, ShareChat, and PhonePe did not make any comments.
Google has previously said its policies are only for protecting Android users and they would enforce them on developers. This week Google became angry because some Indian startups were enforcing a 30% commission charge on payments for the apps on the Android store.
Two dozen executives discussed filing antitrust complaints. Sources said that they will approach Google’s India head for discussions.
