Mexico Lifts Google Contract Curbs on Non-Android Devices

Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission (CNA) confirmed the removal of restrictive clauses in Google's contracts with smart mobile device manufacturers, allowing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce and distribute hardware running alternative operating systems to Android without facing contractual penalties.

The regulator said the decision aims to dismantle barriers to entry that have limited diversification in Mexico’s mobile ecosystem. By removing these restrictions, the CNA expects to expand options for manufacturers, reduce costs associated with multiple technological configurations, and address competition concerns identified during the investigation through commitments presented by Google.

The resolution follows an administrative proceeding launched to examine alleged competition distortions in the mobile operating systems market. Historically, Google required manufacturers to sign compatibility and exclusivity agreements that restricted their ability to develop or commercialize Android forks or proprietary operating systems if they wished to retain access to Google Mobile Services (GMS).

The ruling aligns Mexico with broader regulatory trends in the European Union and other OECD markets, where the use of exclusivity contracts to reinforce dominance in digital ecosystems has come under increasing scrutiny. In Mexico, the 2025 institutional transition consolidated jurisdiction over operating systems under the CNA, resolving previous overlaps between the former Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) and the Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece).

According to the CNA, the implementation of Google’s technical and legal commitments will have implications across three key areas of the technology industry:

Manufacturing and design flexibility: OEMs now have greater legal autonomy to segment their product portfolios. Brands with a strong presence in the Mexican market will be able to introduce devices with deeper customization or alternative operating systems without jeopardizing their commercial relationship with the Android ecosystem.

• Operational cost reduction: The removal of contractual constraints is expected to reduce inefficiencies in the software supply chain. OEMs will no longer be required to comply with rigid, uniform technical configurations across their entire product range, allowing more efficient integration and licensing strategies for specific models.

• Opportunities for developers: A more heterogeneous operating system environment is expected to encourage software developers to reduce reliance on a single distribution framework. The CNA anticipates increased investment in native applications for alternative platforms, which previously struggled to reach critical hardware scale in the local market.

The CNA said it will maintain ongoing monitoring to ensure that Google does not introduce compensatory practices that would undermine the effects of the resolution.