Google has suspended its services for new Android smartphones in Turkey unless the country backtracks from its decision to fine the company for violating competition law.
The decision will not affect current users or current phone models already existing on the market.
The move will only suspend services for Android devices yet to be released.
Turkey’s Competition Authority last September announced it had fined the tech giant some $17.4 million for violating competition laws with its mobile software sales.
The watchdog said in March this year that it was launching a broader investigation into Google based on preliminary findings.
Google told Turkish business partners, phone manufacturers and telecom carriers selling smartphones that it would not grant licenses to Android phones set to be launched on the Turkish market for the use of its services, including Google Play Store, Gmail, YouTube and other applications.
Accordingly, Google said it would also suspend operating system updates.
According to Habertürk daily, Google has suspended licenses to Turkey as of Dec. 12. The company did not comment on the issue.
Google also asked companies to pressure Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan and the head of the competition authority via telephone and e-mail to reverse their decision, or else manufacturers and vendors will be negatively impacted, Habertürk said.
The watchdog first initiated an investigation in March 2017 to determine whether it had violated the country’s competition law, before announcing the fine in September last year and a broader investigation in March this year.
According to Habertürk, some 10-11 million mobile phones are sold in Turkey every year, with Android running on a majority of the devices.
