CCI order after-effect: Device makers may now pay Google for Android OS

Sources party to the negotiations say that it is pretty much a given that most mobile device players will pre-install Google's apps for free owing to their popularity

Google is in talks with mobile device brands on the broad contours of an agreement in which the latter will be paying the American tech major for using the Android operating system (OS), according to sources.

Android is powered by Google Play.  Google, on the other hand, is willing to pay original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to pre-install certain apps. Currently, the Android OS is licensed free to device makers but with a mandatory bouquet of nine apps.

The tech giant will now be unbundling the bouquet and will offer each of the nine apps separately free to mobile device brands, as part