A set of restrictions is being dropped by Google imposing on Android-device-makers, following a clash with the EU.
The restriction is said to be ending a ban on manufacturers having a line-up that includes tablets and phones powered by alternative versions of the operating system to its own, as well as ones that feature Google's own apps and Play Store.
In addition, it will also allow some of its services to be pre-installed without others; however, Google continues to appeal against a related €4.3bn (£3.8bn) fine.
After a ruling that the US company had been using Android to illegally "cement its dominant position" in search, the European Commission announced the penalty in July 2018.
The announcement for the new policies has been posted in Google's blog.
It stated that the new licensing arrangements would come into effect on October 29, 2018 and will apply to devices shipped to the European Economic Area (EEA) - which includes Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein in addition to the EU.
However, until now, Google claimed that if handset- and tablet-makers pre-installed apps such as YouTube and Google Maps, they also had to pre-load its web browser Chrome and Search apps.
But one downside of the move, Google said, was that manufacturers would face a new fee.
"Since the pre-installation of Google Search and Chrome together with our other apps helped us fund the development and free distribution of Android, we will introduce a new paid licensing agreement for smartphones and tablets shipped into the EEA," wrote executive Hiroshi Lockheimer.
"Android will remain free and open-source."
It has not stated how much the new fees will be added or whether consumers should expect a significant rise to device prices as a consequence.
Meanwhile, until now, a number of manufactures have focused instead on adding their own "skins", which involves making user interface changes to Google's stock version of Android but not deeper alterations to the code that might cause some services to become incompatible.
One industry watcher stated that he now expected to see more experimentation.
"If, for example, Samsung wanted to do a really pure Samsung device based on a forked version of Android, with a Samsung browser, Samsung Maps and Bixby as the lead voice assistant - but without the parallel Google services - they could," said Ben Wood, from the CCS Insight consultancy.
"The big challenge for phone-makers is to try to replicate the success that Apple has had with monetizing its devices after they have been bought, which it has done by selling services such as iCloud storage and Apple Music.
"That's been harder to do for Android licensees as a lot of the revenue from their devices has flowed to Google via things like Search and Maps."
