EU antitrust regulators quiz developers on Google app payments

EU antitrust regulators have asked app developers whether Alphabet unit Google's threat to remove apps from its Play Store if they use other payment options instead of its own billing system has hurt their business, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Critics say fees charged by Google and Apple at their mobile app stores are excessive and cost developers collectively billions of dollars a year, a sign of the two companies' monopoly power. App developers were asked if digital payments giant Stripe, Dutch payment system Adyen and PayPal unit Braintree are seen as alternative payment systems. Last month, Google said non-gaming app developers can switch to rival payment systems with a lower fee of 12% instead of 15%, with the move applying to European users, in order to comply with EU rules that will come into force next year.