Google’s New Leaked Internal Document Says Android Phones In India Will Differ From Others

It was only recently that we saw Android maker Google agree to make a long list of changes to its Play Store across India. This had to do with its compliance with a series of new rules and regulations.

But now, thanks to a prolific and trusted leaker, news about an internal document from Google is making the rounds. This highlights a series of changes that the tech giant hopes to make to its Android phones in India only. And that would give rise to a final product that differs from all others around the globe.

So that means we’re going to be dealing with a new variant of the Android phone that’s awfully different from others found in other regions of the world. How unique is that?

Thanks to the leaker’s findings, India is going to attain a new version of its Google Mobile Services. It would entail some optional elements in terms of apps by the tech giant.

For starters, it would include providing producers of smartphones the chance to select versions such as IMADA or MADA. The latter is found in global markets while the former is restricted to India only.

Next up, the phone manufacturers that do choose IMADA can only go for sales of those devices in the country and nowhere else in the world. And it is optional, unlike other agreements for MADA seen elsewhere. They set out a new list of rules that are mandatory.

In India’s MADA, there would be fewer pre-loaded user-facing platforms included as mandatory. On the other hand, the regular ones would entail 11 different pre-installed apps by Google. And for India, it would only require the regular Play Store.

In the same way, Google would be putting out a bounty for phones that work on a per-app basis. This would include any 11 main platforms, including those needed for global types of Android devices.

But up until now, the leaker is yet to provide details on the severity of the bounty and how exactly he hopes to pay it out. Speculations are high that these conditions would be negotiated on the basis of each app with the respective phone manufacturing firm.

IMADA also does not enforce the likes of a search bar by Google, an icon for the Play Store, or a Google folder. Moreover, users of the Indian market would now be able to select their own default settings for a search engine while taking part in the setup process. This option is up for grabs from Q2 of 2023.

Any devices that are included in the IMADA contract would be up for sale in India but if you live outside the nation, the usual settings you have would apply here.

Now another question that many of our readers would be having is why phones in India are getting such different changes. Well, it has to do with an incident that arose last year. We saw the country’s Supreme Court slap Google for taking part in anti-competitive behavior.

While the leading search engine giant did try to do everything in its power to appeal against the verdict, the appeal was blatantly denied. As as whole, the firm was left with no choice but to make alterations in the way different services work across the nation. And that’s if it wished such services would be given the chance to function in India.

Therefore, the company set forward a list that entailed some huge changes it wished to make when complying with the country’s law. And that includes providing licenses for its own platforms owned by third parties. This would allow them to be installed beforehand across their devices.


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