In the past, manufacturers had to decide whether to provide their TV devices with Android TV or Fire TV, both were not possible, even within different device series. Now both companies are said to have reached an agreement and Google has removed the so-called competition clause.
The Portal Protocol claims to have learned this from a source close to the parties involved in the agreement.
Freedom of choice for manufacturers
In addition to many other regulations that Google made for the use of its OS for smart televisions, this said that manufacturers were generally not allowed to use competing systems. Now, after years of strife, Google and Amazon are said to have agreed to make such specifications a thing of the past from now on. According to Google, the reason for the clause mentioned is that, according to the company, Fire TV is a fork of Android TV. Other voices indicate that Google fears a decline in the adoption of its TV system as manufacturers decide against Android TV and in favor of Fire TV.
According to the report, it should now be possible for manufacturers to support both systems in their range. According to the online retailer, the new agreement will affect at least seven manufacturers, including HiSense, TCL and Xiaomi, who want to offer devices for both operating systems in the future and who could now also be considered as customers for Amazon. TCL has already announced plans to launch two TVs with Amazon's system in Europe this fall.
Pressure on Google is growing
Even if it seems different – the agreement probably did not come about entirely voluntarily. Google's behavior in relation to its own Android operating system is said to have already called the competition watchdogs and regulatory authorities into action in many countries. Just last week, the Indian Competition Commission published a highly critical report accusing Google of preventing major TV manufacturers from taking over Amazon's TV operating system.
Clause with far-reaching consequences
The agreement reached between Amazon and Google aims to resolve a year-long dispute over licensing restrictions that Google imposes on hardware makers that make Android-based phones, TVs and other devices. To gain access to Google's officially approved version of Android, as well as services like Google Maps and YouTube, manufacturers must sign a confidential document known as the Android Compatibility Commitment. The ACC is intended to prevent manufacturers from also producing devices based on forked versions of Android that are not compatible with Google's guidelines.
In March 2020, Protocol made parts of the agreement public, detailing how the policy effectively barred companies from making smart TVs running “forked” systems, including Amazon's Fire TV. Google justified the procedure at the time with compatibility reasons. The main problem was that Google saw this agreement as binding for all device categories and manufacturers such as TCL ran the risk of losing access to Google's Android for its smartphone business if such a device was released – a risk that would not want to enter into a company that develops both smartphones and televisions.
Manufacturers are interested
Indian subsidiary TCL said in a statement to the report after regulators that “given the scope of anti-fragmentation obligations, Amazon has also had significant difficulties finding partners to manufacture smart TVs running its Fire OS.” Amazon is said to have also stated that “at least seven” manufacturers have informed the company that they are unable to produce Smart TVs based on Fire TV due to Google's restrictions – although this was expressly desired in several cases should.
Still, it seems that both parties are keen to keep matters low. While Amazon's vice president of entertainment devices, Daniel Rausch, stated during the unveiling of the new TCL plans that the report released by Indian regulators and its findings “speak for themselves” and declined further comment on the matter, Google declined to explain on the relationship between the two companies, according to Protocol's report.
Skepsis still exists
However, quite a few experts are skeptical that a single agreement will address the overarching concerns surrounding Google's operating system and third-party licensing of Android. Also, so far there is nothing to indicate that Google has changed its attitude towards the matter in general. This means, according to the report, that consumer electronics companies could still be prevented from using their own forked versions of Android on TVs if they also make Google-licensed Android TVs or smartphones.