Google India postponing 30% play store commission until March 31st 2022

[Yatharth Shah]

Summary

Google has delayed implementation of it's 30%  charge on Play Store transactions in India following reports that leading developers in the country are interested in the creation of a new Android App store. This new policy is being deferred only in India. They are also "setting up Policy Workshops to help clear additional questions about play store policies."

 

Quotes

Quote

In a statement released earlier today, Purnima Kochikar, Director of Business Development of Games & Applications at Google Play, said: “(We’re) extending the time for developers in India to integrate with the Play billing system, to ensure they have enough time to implement UPI for (the) subscription payment option that will be made available on Google Play — for all apps that currently use an alternative payment system we set a timeline of 31st March 2022”.

 

My thoughts

Well, Google is a services company, an the development of a competing service backed by the government is not a good sign, when you have 98% market share, via your Os, and subsequently via your Store. Also, they know that is some market like India will create a Google free Android, it is in their best interests, to consolidate the market. Pixel sales in India, are not impressive compared to the likes of Samsung or Xiaomi, and they would not prefer to miss out on such a huge money maker.

 

Sources

https://www.news18.com/news/tech/google-in-india-tale-of-postponed-30-cut-paytm-mini-app-store-delays-dont-hide-big-fault-lines-2934223.html#:~:text=Google is postponing the implementation,Billing Policy to April 2022.&text=The company has delayed the,You grow at our cost.

 

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/google-defers-move-to-levy-30-fee-to-april-2022/articleshow/78484208.cms

 

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1253260-indian-government-a-competitor-to-the-play-store/

 

[The_russian]

15 minutes ago, Yatharth Shah said:

following reports that leading developers in the country are interested in the creation of a new Android App store.

I'm curious to see if other countries or groups will decide to create an alternate app store, I can't image it not being at least considered. 

[RejZoR]

It's funny how everyone is outraged over Apple's store fee which is also 30%, even though Apple only really holds US market, but no one seems to really have sperging tantrums over Google having same thing and holding the rest of the world under their Android operating system. And don't kid yourselves that sideloading or alternate app stores are a valid excuse. Apart from handful of geeks and pirates, no one does that or bothers with that. Entire world gets apps from GooglePlay. But muh Apple monopoly!!!!!!1111

[Carbonado]

20 minutes ago, Yatharth Shah said:

Summary

Google has delayed implementation of it's 30%  charge on Play Store transactions in India following reports that leading developers in the country are interested in the creation of a new Android App store. This new policy is being deferred only in India. They are also "setting up Policy Workshops to help clear additional questions about play store policies."

 

Quotes

 

My thoughts

Well, Google is a services company, an the development of a competing service backed by the government is not a good sign, when you have 98% market share, via your Os, and subsequently via your Store. Also, they know that is some market like India will create a Google free Android, it is in their best interests, to consolidate the market. Pixel sales in India, are not impressive compared to the likes of Samsung or Xiaomi, and they would not prefer to miss out on such a huge money maker.

 

Sources

https://www.news18.com/news/tech/google-in-india-tale-of-postponed-30-cut-paytm-mini-app-store-delays-dont-hide-big-fault-lines-2934223.html#:~:text=Google is postponing the implementation,Billing Policy to April 2022.&text=The company has delayed the,You grow at our cost.

 

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/google-defers-move-to-levy-30-fee-to-april-2022/articleshow/78484208.cms

 

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1253260-indian-government-a-competitor-to-the-play-store/

 

 

2 minutes ago, The_russian said:

I'm curious to see if other countries or groups will decide to create an alternate app store, I can't image it not being at least considered. 

I feel like India took the right step trying to make their own app store and ig Google obvio did not expect that, and they wouldn't wanna lose shares, so they reverted, for now, atleast.

 

And other countries can consider it but i feel like even google and the other countries know that they won't be able to make one as good as the Play store, but India has the potential, so it's a great move by google for now.

[RedRound2]

See, this is exactly why Apple's model is a good thing. Putting in place the ability to put a third party store is just forcing the user to download multiple app stores in the long run. And especially if it's government backed, they might actually force all phones sold under their country to preload the app or force users in other ways to download governement apps.

 

And for obvious reasons, apps that do make it to that store won't be as vetted as how Apple or Google does right now. Rather than insisting on the 30% - they should've just made provsions and exceptions for developers case by case - or flat out reduce the commision they take. This approach I feel is just going to get messy down the line

[ProximaOfZeal]

2 hours ago, The_russian said:

I'm curious to see if other countries or groups will decide to create an alternate app store, I can't image it not being at least considered. 

It'd have to be countries, not just groups. In India the whole thing was backed by the government, so most likely it'd mean passing a law that required for the new app store to come pre-installed on new devices sold domestically, along with google's store. If it was just some group of developers alone, it wouldn't really catch on since they'd have a hard time to convince people to install it on their own.

[LAwLz]

3 hours ago, RejZoR said:

It's funny how everyone is outraged over Apple's store fee which is also 30%, even though Apple only really holds US market, but no one seems to really have sperging tantrums over Google having same thing and holding the rest of the world under their Android operating system. And don't kid yourselves that sideloading or alternate app stores are a valid excuse. Apart from handful of geeks and pirates, no one does that or bothers with that. Entire world gets apps from GooglePlay. But muh Apple monopoly!!!!!!1111

I think the ability to sideload is a major difference though.

It's not something the average Joe does and Google deserve criticism for making it more and more difficult, but ignoring that major difference between Apple and Google is silly.

Android is as open to third party vendors as Windows is, and you wouldn't say Windows has a monopoly because of the Microsoft Store, right?

[Justaphysicsnerd]

4 hours ago, Yatharth Shah said:

development of a competing service backed by the government

Ya know the guys behind Paytm (an online payments platform kinda like PayPal), have just launched a sorta mini app store thingy today !

[Justaphysicsnerd]

4 hours ago, RejZoR said:

Apart from handful of geeks and pirates, no one does that or bothers with that

As Far as I know, most of the Indians use File sharing services like Xender to share and SPREAD the apk. That is literally how everyone in my family started using whatsapp. Most Indians, at least the younger generation uses Xender to get the apk from their friends' phones. They don't even ******* bother to go to the playstore and download an app

[Justaphysicsnerd]

4 hours ago, CouRageRC said:

India has the potential,

Helo I am Jon Smith, ds is free tek supp0rt , I am calling from Macintosh Windows Corporation. We will fix your Pc for fr33 !

 

LOL

Its kinda 50-50 situation

[Justaphysicsnerd]

1 hour ago, ProximaOfZeal said:

backed by the government

Those maybe strong words. The government is currently promoting self-reliance (Not the Indian mega corporation, I am talking about the ability to rely only on domestic sources ). Back on track, let me tell you how it all started out. There were some things going on at the border with china. So anti-China sentiment began spreading and it was being actively promoted by the government and the current political party in office. And hence, the Chinese apps were banned (sort of). And then Paytm , which is like India's very own PayPal was banned from the PlayStore, because it actually has legit in-app gambling games. So the devs of dat app (Paytm) called for the need of an in-house app store for India.

 

I tried my best to give you quick rundown summary

[Justaphysicsnerd]

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

Microsoft Store,

I thought that thing got cancelled with windows 8. Hold on a second lemme check real quick .............OH MY GOD It is still there !

[Justaphysicsnerd]

4 hours ago, Yatharth Shah said:

your Os

OUR OS... Android is an open source project. It is a communist plot to take over capita......Oh I went tooo far

[RejZoR]

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

I think the ability to sideload is a major difference though.

It's not something the average Joe does and Google deserve criticism for making it more and more difficult, but ignoring that major difference between Apple and Google is silly.

Android is as open to third party vendors as Windows is, and you wouldn't say Windows has a monopoly because of the Microsoft Store, right?

Is it really? I'm a power user and I couldn't be botherd to sideload things. I only had to do that when I had LineageOS on my Xiaomi and I used it without the Gapps.

[Mark Kaine]

4 hours ago, RedRound2 said:

See, this is exactly why Apple's model is a good thing. Putting in place the ability to put a third party store is just forcing the user to download multiple app stores in the long run. And especially if it's government backed, they might actually force all phones sold under their country to preload the app or force users in other ways to download governement apps.

 

 

yeah if we're going this route the government can also force apple to preload their government apps... or no deal.

 

 

[Benjamin22044]

I have hard about how the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Modi has been talking about developing new apps in the country and making the country self-sufficient. While this is a great initiative for the country, it definitely is a red sign for the Google. 

[LAwLz]

2 hours ago, RejZoR said:

Is it really? I'm a power user and I couldn't be botherd to sideload things. I only had to do that when I had LineageOS on my Xiaomi and I used it without the Gapps.

Yes it is, really.

Just because you haven't bothered to sideload anything doesn't mean "the option might as well not exist".

 

Likewise, me saying "my mother hasn't sideloaded anything on Windows" doesn't mean I can go around saying Microsoft has a monopoly on app-distribution as strong as Apple has on iOS.

 

 

The option to do something is very, very important. People using that option or not is a different issue.

 

 

  

5 minutes ago, Benjamin22044 said:

I have hard about how the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Modi has been talking about developing new apps in the country and making the country self-sufficient. While this is a great initiative for the country, it definitely is a red sign for the Google. 

I don't see how it's a good thing for the country. To me the whole "the government should be in charge of what gets installed on their citizens phones" is a massive red flag to me.

The Indian government has already shown that they are not above banning things for petty reasons, and this just gives them one more tool for oppressing their people.

[RejZoR]

52 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Yes it is, really.

Just because you haven't bothered to sideload anything doesn't mean "the option might as well not exist".

 

Likewise, me saying "my mother hasn't sideloaded anything on Windows" doesn't mean I can go around saying Microsoft has a monopoly on app-distribution as strong as Apple has on iOS.

 

 

The option to do something is very, very important. People using that option or not is a different issue.

 

 

  

I don't see how it's a good thing for the country. To me the whole "the government should be in charge of what gets installed on their citizens phones" is a massive red flag to me.

The Indian government has already shown that they are not above banning things for petty reasons, and this just gives them one more tool for oppressing their people.

The percentage of people who do goes in single digit. I know somewhere was some stat about it. Like 3% or something if memory serves me. I'm not saying it shouldn't be there, I'm just saying it's pretty much irrelevant for consumers.

[suicidalfranco]

8 hours ago, RejZoR said:

It's funny how everyone is outraged over Apple's store fee which is also 30%, even though Apple only really holds US market, but no one seems to really have sperging tantrums over Google having same thing and holding the rest of the world under their Android operating system. And don't kid yourselves that sideloading or alternate app stores are a valid excuse. Apart from handful of geeks and pirates, no one does that or bothers with that. Entire world gets apps from GooglePlay. But muh Apple monopoly!!!!!!1111

simple answer:

things like this exist.

 

Now stop being a rabid fanboy and trying to derail this thread into a flamewar

[RejZoR]

13 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

simple answer:

things like this exist.

 

Now stop being a rabid fanboy and trying to derail this thread into a flamewar

Fanboy. Sure mate. Fanboy of what? India? Google? Apple? What? And how do you install F-Droid? Coz I know it doesn't just magically install itself. And selection of apps on it is just sad. Sure, it's an option, but a very sad option only biggest geeks care for.

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

if google has learnt anything from the Apple or nintendo or the sony who have operated in India and failed miserably, indians are cost sensitive, your sales will immediately hit the rock bottom if you increase the prices that's barley stomachable by the indian ppl, that's the reason whatsapp was always free in India but charged elsewhere, even after 2022, i can bet it will still never be enforced.  

[LAwLz]

46 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

The percentage of people who do goes in single digit. I know somewhere was some stat about it. Like 3% or something if memory serves me. I'm not saying it shouldn't be there, I'm just saying it's pretty much irrelevant for consumers.

Again, it doesn't really matter how many use it. The option is still there, and that is a massive difference you can't just brush under the rug.

 

Bad default but options to change it is MUCH different compared to no options whatsoever and you're stuck with the defaults.

 

 

I am not trying to say Google is perfect and doesn't deserve criticism, but consumers on Android have way more freedom than on iOS because sideloading is an option, regardless of however many use it. The option is there.

 

 

  

6 minutes ago, Rohith_Kumar_Sp said:

if google has learnt anything from the Apple or nintendo or the sony who have operated in India and failed miserably, indians are cost sensitive, your sales will immediately hit the rock bottom if you increase the prices that's barley stomachable by the indian ppl, that's the reason whatsapp was always free in India but charged elsewhere, even after 2022, i can bet it will still never be enforced.  

If Google goes the same route as Apple then prices won't increase. Consumers will pay the same, but developers will get less.

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

5 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

If Google goes the same route as Apple then prices won't increase. Consumers will pay the same, but developers will get less.

yes, but indian devs are just as cost conscious, they will put that prices on the customers eventually, there was a time india switched from Vat to GST, it was suppose to reduce prices but all it did was show owners to increase the base prices of literally everything onto customers. 

[RedRound2]

3 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

yeah if we're going this route the government can also force apple to preload their government apps... or no deal.

Well most parts of the world they havent been able to. But there's also no precedent for it. If Google allows this, it will be in the government's best interest to get people to use their store, and since they hae the legislative power, they'll force it onto devices.

 

This is just opening a whole can of worms the more I think about it. I'd rather have Apple take control of Apple's platform and Google take control of Google's platform - because at least with them, it's in their best interest to keep their users happy and safe

[Mark Kaine]

4 minutes ago, RedRound2 said:

Well most parts of the world they havent been able to. But there's also no precedent for it. If Google allows this, it will be in the government's best interest to get people to use their store, and since they hae the legislative power, they'll force it onto devices.

 

This is just opening a whole can of worms the more I think about it. I'd rather have Apple take control of Apple's platform and Google take control of Google's platform - because at least with them, it's in their best interest to keep their users happy and safe

yeah that's kind of what I mean. if they do it on google there is no reason to assume they wouldn't also on apple... unless apple is like super niche with ~1% market share or something (then they probably won't care)