Google In India, Tale Of Postponed 30% Cut & Paytm Mini App Store: Delays Don’t Hide Big Fault Lines
4 years, 2 months ago

Google In India, Tale Of Postponed 30% Cut & Paytm Mini App Store: Delays Don’t Hide Big Fault Lines

News 18  

Google has not really had a nice time of it, off late at least, with Indian app developers. The concerns of Indian app developers are largely around what they believe are unfair policies that Google wants to implement for developers who have an app listed on the Play Store. Earlier this month, as many as 150 Indian app developers unofficially came together to forge ahead with an idea of an alternate app store, something that will reduce the reliance of Android smartphone users, on the official Google Play Store. “We’ve always required developers who distribute their apps on Play to use Google Play’s billing system if they offer in-app purchases of digital goods and pay a service fee from a percentage of the purchase. It all started with Google removing the Paytm app from the Google Play Store just before the IPL 2020 cricket tournament started.

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History of this topic

India's Competition Commission starts new probe into Google's app store policies following Winzo’s complaint
3 weeks, 4 days ago

India's Competition Commission starts new probe into Google's app store policies following Winzo’s complaint

Firstpost  

Winzo’s claims that Google, through its Play Store, imposes unreasonable terms on app developers via its Developer Distribution Agreement and Developer Program Policies. These policies create a one-sided relationship that limit developers’ ability to operate fairly in the market This investigation is not Google’s first brush with India’s competition watchdog. The probe centres around allegations that Google’s app store policies …

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma-linked PaiPai scrambles to remove app after launch
8 months, 1 week ago

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma-linked PaiPai scrambles to remove app after launch

Hindustan Times  

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma-linked Pai Platforms launched the PaiPai app on Google Play Store by mistake and the company rushed to remove it from there as this was done way ahead of schedule, MoneyControl reported today. Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma linked PaiPai app was launched ahead of schedule on Google Play STore and the company had to rush to …

Competition watchdog orders probe against Google for Playstore pricing policy. What's the issue?
9 months, 1 week ago

Competition watchdog orders probe against Google for Playstore pricing policy. What's the issue?

Hindustan Times  

The competition regulator ordered an investigation against Google on Friday for suspected anti-competitive practices regarding its pricing policy on the Play Store. Google under scrutiny for alleged discriminatory payment policies on Play Store The Competition Commission of India said that the informants were primarily concerned about Google's revised payment policies related to its proprietary app store, Google Play Store, which …

Paytm jumps 5% as digital payments app survives banking unit shutdown
9 months, 1 week ago

Paytm jumps 5% as digital payments app survives banking unit shutdown

The Hindu  

Shares of India's Paytm rose a stock exchange-allowed maximum of 5% on Friday, March 15, 2024, a day after it got a third-party application provider license that will allow it to offer digital payments after its banking unit ceases operations. The license, granted by the country's payments authority, came as Paytm Payments Bank will cease to operate on March 15, …

Google Play Store: 8 out of 10 Indian companies return to the platform
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Google Play Store: 8 out of 10 Indian companies return to the platform

India TV News  

As the battle between Google and Indian startups intensifies, some apps of 8 out of 10 key homegrown companies who are spearheading the fight with the tech giant are already back on the Google Play Store after they complied with the new policy. Google had delisted more than a dozen apps by major Indian digital companies, including Matrimony and Shaadi.com …

Indian startups caught in crosshairs as Google raises compliance heat
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Indian startups caught in crosshairs as Google raises compliance heat

New Indian Express  

India’s tech startups and new-age firms seem to have a compliance problem. The latest Google Play Store episode reveals that some startup promoters believe regulations can be bent and rules broken. Google temporarily removed 10 app developers from its Play Store for not complying with its updated payment policy. Google’s action came after some startups moved the Supreme Court challenging …

Centre stern after Google's action on Indian apps: ‘Delisting can’t be permitted'
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Centre stern after Google's action on Indian apps: ‘Delisting can’t be permitted'

Hindustan Times  

Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a strong stance for the Indian startups in the middle of the row with Google, saying that the delisting of the apps from the Google Play Store “is not permitted”. Google has taken down several apps from Play Store in India Google's parent company Alphabet Inc sent a notice to 10 companies for the …

Startups cry foul as Google yanks apps off Play Store for noncompliance
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Startups cry foul as Google yanks apps off Play Store for noncompliance

Live Mint  

New Delhi/Bengaluru: On Friday, Google removed 10 popular Indian apps, including Bharat Matrimony, Shaadi.com, and Kuku FM, from its Play Store, and warned several others about possible actions for consistently failing to comply with its billing policies. “Our apps were taken off the Play Store on Friday morning along with a notice and a blog post detailing Google’s policy on …

Info Edge founder bats for ’Indian app store’ after Google action on Indian apps
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Info Edge founder bats for ’Indian app store’ after Google action on Indian apps

Live Mint  

Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani on Friday called for the creation of India's mobile application store as a part of its ‘Digital Public Infrastructure’ following tech giant Google India's action against mobile applications of 10 Indian companies. The tech giant took down multiple Indian mobile applications like Bharat Matrimony from Play Store because of a dispute over service fee payments. …

Google mulls removing apps by 10 companies in India for not paying service fee
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Google mulls removing apps by 10 companies in India for not paying service fee

Hindustan Times  

Alphabet Inc's Google will enforce action against the apps of 10 companies for not paying a service fee for the usage of its app store platform in India, including potentially de-listing their apps, the tech giant said on Friday. Companies including Walt Disney and Tinder-owner Match have previously sued Google over its policy of imposing a "service fee" of 11%-26% …

Why did Google take action against 10 Indian developers? Here's all you need to know
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Why did Google take action against 10 Indian developers? Here's all you need to know

India TV News  

Google has announced that it will remove some Indian apps from its Play Store. “After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Court’s order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem, as we do for any form of policy violation globally,” Google wrote in …

Google starts removing multiple Indian apps from Play Store for not paying service fee
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Google starts removing multiple Indian apps from Play Store for not paying service fee

New Indian Express  

NEW DELHI: Google on Friday began removing some apps, including popular matrimony apps, from its Play Store in India over a dispute on service fee payments. While Bharat Matrimony founder Murugavel Janakiraman described the move as "dark day" for the Internet in India, Kuku FM co-founder Vinod Kumar Meena, in a statement, said that Google was behaving like a 'monopoly'. …

Users ditch Paytm? App's daily downloads declined this much since February 1
10 months ago

Users ditch Paytm? App's daily downloads declined this much since February 1

Hindustan Times  

Daily downloads of the Paytm app have fallen since February 1 while those of BHIM UPI app increased 49 per cent. Google Pay app daily downloads dropped 10.6 per cent during the period. This comes after the Reserve Bank of India imposed curbs on Paytm Payments Bank resulting in its app downloads to decline by 55 per cent to 60,627 …

PhonePe launches app store to take on Google’s Play Store
10 months ago

PhonePe launches app store to take on Google’s Play Store

Hindustan Times  

Walmart-backed Indian fintech PhonePe on Wednesday launched its app store for Android called Indus Appstore, becoming the first Indian rival to Google’s Play Store. The company is in conversation with multiple phone manufacturers so that the app store can come pre-loaded on different Android cellphones, founder and PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam said at the launch event in Delhi. “We are …

Supreme Court Issues Notice To Google India On Indian App Developers' Plea Against Play Store Billing Policy
10 months, 1 week ago

Supreme Court Issues Notice To Google India On Indian App Developers' Plea Against Play Store Billing Policy

Live Law  

The Supreme Court on February 2 issued notice on a petition to Google India on petitions filed by filed by tech start-ups challenging Google Play Store's billing policy as exploitative. However, a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and Justices Manoj Misra and Satish Chandra Sharma refused to immediately stay Google's decision to remove apps from its Play Store over …

Paytm crisis: India’s Paytm crackdown spooks retailers; Walmart, Google swoop in
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Paytm crisis: India’s Paytm crackdown spooks retailers; Walmart, Google swoop in

The Hindu  

Hit by a regulatory crackdown, India's Paytm is mobilising its sales team to reassure the merchants who use its app to accept digital payments just as Walmart and Google are targeting those same vendors with their rival offerings. But many merchants are now refusing to deal with Paytm after India's central bank last week asked its banking unit - which …

Google says court order on Disney app fee in India temporary
1 year, 5 months ago

Google says court order on Disney app fee in India temporary

The Hindu  

Google said on Wednesday an Indian court's directive ordering the company to charge a lower 4% in-app payment on Disney's streaming service in the country was a temporary measure until the court proceedings play out. Disney in India has gone to court in what is the latest and most high-profile challenge to Google's policy of imposing a "service fee" of …

Firms resist Google’s fees on in-app purchases, as non-compliance deadline looms
1 year, 6 months ago

Firms resist Google’s fees on in-app purchases, as non-compliance deadline looms

The Hindu  

Dating and matrimonial apps, OTT streaming apps and ed-tech platforms have come together to pressure Google into removing or vastly reducing commissions the search giant charges for in-app purchases on Android smartphones. Last October, the Competition Commission of India ordered Google, among other things, to “not restrict app developers from using any third-party billing/payment processing services, either for in-app purchases …

Indian Government plans action against Google after antitrust breaches
1 year, 7 months ago

Indian Government plans action against Google after antitrust breaches

The Hindu  

India's government plans to take action against Alphabet Inc.'s Google after an antitrust watchdog last year found the group to have abused its market position by indulging in anti-competitive practices, a top IT minister told Reuters. India's antitrust body in October fined Google $275 million in two cases, which involved abusing its dominant position in the Android operating system market, …

Play Store policy breaches to face action
1 year, 7 months ago

Play Store policy breaches to face action

Live Mint  

Google Inc. is set to initiate strict action against Indian apps that fail to comply with its billing policies on Play Store. The announcement follows the controversy over its Play Store policies which led to the Competition Commission of India directing the tech behemoth to allow third-party payment systems for apps on the Play Store. Android apps disseminated via the …

Google billing policy: Tech giant moves Delhi HC against single judge order
1 year, 7 months ago

Google billing policy: Tech giant moves Delhi HC against single judge order

Hindustan Times  

Google on Tuesday moved the Delhi high court challenging the single judge’s direction to the Competition Commission of India to decide the applications filed by the Alliance of Digital India Foundation against the tech giant’s new user-choice billing policy. A clutch of pleas by ADIF, an industry body of startups, had sought direction to Google to keep its proposed User …

Indian startups go to court to stop Google’s new in-app billing system
1 year, 8 months ago

Indian startups go to court to stop Google’s new in-app billing system

Live Mint  

A group of Indian startups has asked a court to suspend Alphabet Inc Google's new in-app billing fee system until the country's antitrust body investigates the U.S. firm for alleged non-compliance with its directives, a legal filing showed. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation last month asked India's antitrust regulator to investigate Google for devising a new system startups say …

Indian startups go to court to stop Google's new in-app billing system
1 year, 8 months ago

Indian startups go to court to stop Google's new in-app billing system

The Hindu  

A group of Indian startups has asked a court to suspend Alphabet Inc. Google's new in-app billing fee system until the country's antitrust body investigates the U.S. firm for alleged non-compliance with its directives, a legal filing showed. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation last month asked India's antitrust regulator to investigate Google for devising a new system startups say …

Google Antitrust Case: Android phones in India only need to pre-load Google Play Store, shows leaked terms
1 year, 10 months ago

Google Antitrust Case: Android phones in India only need to pre-load Google Play Store, shows leaked terms

Firstpost  

Thanks to Google’s antitrust ruling by the CCI, the Android operating system will see a massive change in how it presents itself to audiences, show leaked terms. Earlier this year, India upheld a judgement that was intended to sever Google’s grip over Android, focusing primarily on the applications Google compelled its partners to install, as well as the company’s control …

Google warns India antitrust ruling will hike costs for app developers
1 year, 11 months ago

Google warns India antitrust ruling will hike costs for app developers

Hindustan Times  

Alphabet Inc's Google said on Friday that India's new antitrust order to change how the company markets its Android platform will drive up costs for app developers, equipment makers, and consequently, consumers. Google The Competition Commission of India in October fined Google ₹1,337.76 cr for exploiting its dominant position in Android, and asked it to change restrictions imposed on smartphone …

Google Says Antitrust Order Will Stall Android Growth In India: Report
1 year, 11 months ago

Google Says Antitrust Order Will Stall Android Growth In India: Report

ABP News  

Tech giant Google has warned that the growth of its massively popular Android ecosystem in India will stall due to an antitrust order by the Competition Commission of India that asks it to change how it markets the Android platform, the media has reported. India's antitrust watchdog had penalised the Alphabet-owned company $161 million for exploiting its dominant position in …

Google pauses Play Store billing in India after CCI ruling
2 years, 1 month ago

Google pauses Play Store billing in India after CCI ruling

Live Mint  

Android-maker Google has paused its plans to enforce the Google Play billing system on Indian developers from October 31. Following the CCI’s recent ruling, we are pausing enforcement of the requirement for developers to use Google Play’s billing system for the purchase of digital goods and services for transactions by users in India while we review our legal options and …

Google India Responds To Second Setback In A Week: Here’s What It Said
2 years, 1 month ago

Google India Responds To Second Setback In A Week: Here’s What It Said

News 18  

Google India has claimed that it remains committed to its users in the country and is reviewing the decision to take the next steps towards its latest order from the Competition Commission of India on Tuesday. The search engine giant has been penalised for its anti-trust policies where app developers are mandatorily asked to push for payments via the Google …

Govt imposes Rs 936 crore penalty on Google for exploiting market dominance, using Play Store policies against App developers
2 years, 1 month ago

Govt imposes Rs 936 crore penalty on Google for exploiting market dominance, using Play Store policies against App developers

Op India  

On Tuesday, the Competitions Commission of India imposed a penalty of Rs 936.44 crore on Google for exploiting its dominant position in the market with regard to its Play Store policies. Competition Commission of India imposes a penalty of Rs 936.44 cr on Google for abusing its dominant position with respect to its Play Store policies, apart from issuing a …

Google is reviewing CCI's decision to evaluate next steps
2 years, 1 month ago

Google is reviewing CCI's decision to evaluate next steps

India TV News  

Google was hit hard by two back-to-back fines by the Competition Commission of India, and the tech giant has stated today that it is committed to its users and developers and reviewing the decision to evaluate the next steps. Last week, the competition watchdog imposed a penalty of Rs 1,337.76 crore on Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple …

CCI Imposes ₹936.44 Crore Cost On Google, Says Google Play's Mandatory Billing System For Paid Apps & In-App Purchases Unfair
2 years, 1 month ago

CCI Imposes ₹936.44 Crore Cost On Google, Says Google Play's Mandatory Billing System For Paid Apps & In-App Purchases Unfair

Live Law  

The Competition Commission of India on Tuesday said it has imposed a penalty of Rs. The order has been passed in respect of the "mandatory" usage of Google Play's Billing System, for paid apps and in-app purchases - which the CCI said constitutes an imposition of unfair condition on app developers. CCI Imposes ₹936.44 Crore Cost On Google, Says Google …

Google India Faces Second Major Setback, Fined Rs 936 Crore Over Play Store Policies
2 years, 1 month ago

Google India Faces Second Major Setback, Fined Rs 936 Crore Over Play Store Policies

News 18  

Google Tuesday has been hit with a second major penalty in India in less than a week by the Competition Commission of India. Now, the search engine giant has been penalised for its anti-trust policies where app developers are mandatorily asked to push for payments via the Google Play Billing System. The order also states that Google holds a strong …

In second penalty in a week, CCI fines Google ₹936.44 crore for its Play Store policies
2 years, 1 month ago

In second penalty in a week, CCI fines Google ₹936.44 crore for its Play Store policies

The Hindu  

The Competition Commission of India on Tuesday imposed a penalty of ₹936.44 crore on Google for “abusing its dominant position with respect to its Play Store policies”, in the second such penalty on the internet giant within a week. The regulator noted that Play Store is by far the largest app marketplace connecting app developers with users on Android ecosystem …

Google’s move to cut commission a distraction tactic, says ADIF
3 years, 2 months ago

Google’s move to cut commission a distraction tactic, says ADIF

The Hindu  

Google's move to reduce commissions charged to app developers on in-app purchases is a tactic to "deflect and distract", according to the Alliance of Digital India Foundation. The ADIF, which represents a group of Indian digital startups, said it will continue its efforts to protect fair competition and developer choices in the in-app economy. On Thursday, Google reduced the commission …

Google reduces Play Store fee to 15% for subscription services
3 years, 2 months ago

Google reduces Play Store fee to 15% for subscription services

Live Mint  

After widespread pushback from developers, tech giant Google has decided to reduce Play Store commission for apps that offer subscription services. The company said that instead of charging a 30% fee for subscription payments made through Google’s built-in payments services, the company will drop the commission to 15%. The tech giant requires developers using the Google Play store to use …

After a tussle with Indian developers, Google cuts Play Store fees
3 years, 9 months ago

After a tussle with Indian developers, Google cuts Play Store fees

The Hindu  

Google does an Apple, but almost after four months. The search giant has halved Play Store commission to 15% for app makers selling their digital products on its marketplace. "We are reducing the service fee Google Play receives when a developer sells digital goods or services to 15% for the first $1M of revenue every developer earns each year," said …

US overtakes India in GPay's new users
3 years, 11 months ago

US overtakes India in GPay's new users

The Hindu  

India was overtaken by the U.S. to become Google Pay's largest generator of new users, according to app intelligence firm Apptopia. The Google-owned digital payment platform added nearly three lakh new users in the U.S. in a single day last week, compared to about two lakh new users in India on the same day. Google Pay was launched seven years …

India's Antitrust Body Orders Investigation Into Google Payments App, In-App Billing
4 years, 1 month ago

India's Antitrust Body Orders Investigation Into Google Payments App, In-App Billing

News 18  

India’s antitrust body on Monday ordered an investigation into allegations that Alphabet’s Google was abusing its market position to promote its payments app as well as forcing app developers to use its in-app payment system. In its 39-page order, the CCI said Google’s agreements with some smartphone makers to have the Google Pay app pre-installed might “disturb the level playing …

India's Antitrust Body Orders Investigation Into Google Payments App, In-App Billing
4 years, 1 month ago

India's Antitrust Body Orders Investigation Into Google Payments App, In-App Billing

News 18  

India’s antitrust body on Monday ordered an investigation into allegations that Alphabet’s Google was abusing its market position to promote its payments app as well as forcing app developers to use its in-app payment system. In its 39-page order, the CCI said Google’s agreements with some smartphone makers to have the Google Pay app pre-installed might “disturb the level playing …

Google - Paytm Feud: Is It Time To Regulate Application Stores In India?
4 years, 2 months ago

Google - Paytm Feud: Is It Time To Regulate Application Stores In India?

Live Law  

Recently, the Paytm application. With this background, this article examines how application stores such as Google's Play Store are regulated in India. The authors recommend that a similar legislation must be contemplated for the regulation of application stores and mobile applications in India as well in order to curb inordinate exercise of power by application stores over their listed apps …

Should Indian startups take on global Internet giants? | The Hindu Parley podcast
4 years, 2 months ago

Should Indian startups take on global Internet giants? | The Hindu Parley podcast

The Hindu  

Online payments company Paytm recently announced that it was building a ‘Mini App Store’ which would ‘empower Indian developers’. This move came days after Paytm was removed from Google’s Play Store over apparent violation of its policies. Though it was reinstated later, Paytm and several other Indian Internet startups allege that Google is using its market dominance to arbitrarily enforce …

Paytm announces Rs 10 crore fund for mini app developers
4 years, 2 months ago

Paytm announces Rs 10 crore fund for mini app developers

India TV News  

Increasing its stake in its ongoing fight with Google, leading digital payments platform Paytm on Thursday announced a Rs 10-crore fund for mini apps developers in the country. Addressing a mini-apps developer conference, Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said that he is targeting "at least one million mini apps" to put an end to "the victimisation of 30 per cent …

Paytm will have 1 million mini-apps before Google’s in-app commission
4 years, 2 months ago

Paytm will have 1 million mini-apps before Google’s in-app commission

Live Mint  

BENGALURU: Paytm, the Noida-based payments major, which launched its mini-apps platform this week, will add close to 1 million mini apps before Google plans to make Play Store billing mandatory for Indian developers by April 2021. In a virtual conference on Thursday, Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said the company will invest close to ₹10 crore for its mini-app developer …

Pressure mounts on Google to soften its stance in India
4 years, 2 months ago

Pressure mounts on Google to soften its stance in India

Live Mint  

Technology giant Google is being prompted to soften its stance in India after pushback from startup founders in the country over its policies. There are instances such as fantasy sports platform Dream11 getting 100 million users without listing on Google Play Store, the founders said. Startups are also demanding fair play as Google, which is used by 95% of Indian …

Paytm announces mini apps developers conference on 8 October
4 years, 2 months ago

Paytm announces mini apps developers conference on 8 October

Live Mint  

Paytm is organizing a developers conference on 8 October to invite indigenous developers to work together towards building India's digital revolution. The digital payments firm recently launched a mini-app store to support Indian developers, in a direct challenge to Google’s dominance in the space. The Paytm's Android Mini App Store provides listing and distribution of custom-built mobile web apps based …

Google defers in-app commission payment for developers in India to March 2022
4 years, 2 months ago

Google defers in-app commission payment for developers in India to March 2022

The Hindu  

Google has deferred in-app commission payment for app developers in India with alternate payment system to March 31, 2022. “We’re also extending the time for developers in India to integrate with the Play billing system, to ensure they have enough time to implement the UPI for subscription payment option that will be made available on Google Play," Google India said. …

Google India Delays Play Store Billing Policy And The 30% Commission Till April 2022
4 years, 2 months ago

Google India Delays Play Store Billing Policy And The 30% Commission Till April 2022

News 18  

Google is postponing its enforcement of a 30 percent commission on in-app purchases for Indian developers. This move from Google comes after Indian developers called for an Indian alternative for Google’s Play Store last month. Google also said that it will organise listening sessions and workshops with leading Indian startups to understand their concerns more deeply, and clear any additional …

Paytm Launches Mini App Store Amid Calls For Indian Alternative to Google Play Store
4 years, 2 months ago

Paytm Launches Mini App Store Amid Calls For Indian Alternative to Google Play Store

News 18  

Digital payments app Paytm has launched its own mini app store which can be accessed directly via the Paytm app. It also comes Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma was reported to be working towards bringing an Indian alternative to Google Play, after Indian developers called for a local alternative to Google’s Play Store and Apple App Store. The push for …

Paytm launches its own mini app store
4 years, 2 months ago

Paytm launches its own mini app store

Live Mint  

BENGALURU :Digital payments firm Paytm has launched a mini-app store to support Indian developers, in a direct challenge to Google’s dominance in the space. While the removal of the app may be a trigger, Paytm’s move is perhaps a direct fallout of Google mandating that developers listed on its Play Store use its billing service. Last week, startup founders such …

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