New Delhi: Google on Friday announced that the third-party ‘in app’ billing system pilot will be expanded to India and some other markets, allowing non-gaming developers to offer users an alternative billing mechanism with Google Play. .
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According to Google, reasonable service charges will apply to support investments in Android and Play. However, the specifics of what would be the appropriate service charges have not been disclosed. Users will still have the option of using Google Play’s billing system.
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“With this next phase of the Google Play User Choice Billing Pilot, all non-gaming developers can offer their users in Australia, Japan, India, Indonesia and the European Economic Area an additional billing option with Play’s billing system. are,” a Google spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added: “We will share more in the coming months as we continue to build and iterate with our pilot partners.” With this, all non-gaming developers globally can sign up to participate in the pilot and offer this option to their mobile and tablet users in these select markets.
The move comes amid discontent among developers as well as a growing global scrutiny of App Store norms and the way commissions are structured by large app stores. Simply put, user choice billing refers to the ability for developers to offer an alternative in-app billing system alongside Google Play. At checkout, users are able to choose which billing system to use.
In-app purchases are additional content, features or subscriptions that users purchase within a particular app. The Google Play billing policy has always required developers to use Google Play’s billing system for in-app purchases of digital goods.
Earlier this year, Google announced a new pilot to explore user-choice billing in apps on Google Play, allowing participating developers to provide users with an alternative billing system next to Google Play’s billing system. allowed to offer.
In March, Google said it would allow Spotify to use its payment system in its Android app as part of a new pilot program. After a new law was passed in South Korea last year, Google also said it would allow developers to offer third-party payment systems on its own as well as in that market.
According to Google, Google Play is the first and only major app store to drive user choice billing. No other major app store, whether on mobile, desktop or game console, has taken the same steps towards providing more payment options and opportunities for developers, users and the entire Internet ecosystem.
A Google spokesperson said on the latest announcement, “Android has always been a uniquely open operating system, and we continue to evolve our platform and increase the options available to developers and users, while investing in the ecosystem.” maintain our potential.”
Over the past two years, Google has moved away from one-size-fits-all pricing and according to its estimates, currently 99 percent of developers qualify for a service fee of 15 percent or less. Google emphasizes that it is constantly listening to outside feedback and considering business changes that enable the Android ecosystem to compete and thrive.