The Application Developers Alliance (ADA) called on the EC to consider whether its investigation of the Android platform “could harm thousands of developers who write on the platform”.

The watchdog is investigating the role of Google in the Android ecosystem, including if its practice with regard to the bundling of its apps and services harm competition. But the ADA has now said that Android is “much better for developers than it was in 2008-2011”, praising the work of Google to address fragmentation.

“Prior to 2011 manufacturers were customising Android devices to such an extent that app developers were having trouble keeping pace”, it said.

In a letter sent to the EC’s Directorate General for Competition, the Alliance urged the avoidance of remedies on Google “that will harm Android and create hardship on developers”.

“When developers learned of the Commission’s Android investigation, their concern was that the Commission would undermine recent advances that have made Android a great success,” said Catriona Meehan, director of European Policy for the Alliance.

In an open letter, the group said: “It would be disastrous for developers (and consumers) if you stop Google from improving the Android and Google Play ecosystems, and especially if you reverse the last five years’ progress that has essentially harmonised Android across many device families.”

The effort has the backing of nearly 140 developers from 20 countries.