Google has paused its plans to impose the Google Play billing system on Indian developers beginning October 31. Today, the company announced the plan via an update to its help page. The move comes less than a week after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) fined the company twice in a row for violating competition laws in the country.
“Due to the country’s unique payment landscape, developers in India were given an additional extension until October 31, 2022, to comply.” 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 in response to the CCI’s recent ruling while we review our legal options and ensure we can continue to invest in Android and Play. The requirement to use Google Play’s billing system applies to in-app digital content purchases made by users outside of India, according to Google.
The CCI concluded a year-long investigation into Google on October 25, concluding that its decision to impose the Play Billing system on developers is anti-competitive. The competition regulator demanded that Google allow third-party payments on its platform and fined the company 936 crore for abusing its market dominance. Following a CCI ruling, Google has halted Play Store billing in India.
The decision came just days after another fine of Rs 1337.76 crore was levied for abusing dominance in the Android mobile device market. The regulator is looking into a third case involving the company’s AndroidTV operating system and related contracts.
Google stated in a statement following the CCI’s decision that it is reviewing the decision. However, the company is widely expected to file a legal challenge to the CCI’s decision. Since September of this year, it has been running a pilot process that allows developers in India to use third-party payments, though many still complain about the fees the company imposes.
According to our resources, developers and startups in the country plan to increase their lobbying efforts against Google’s fees for selling apps and services through the Play Store. Currently, the company charges a 15% commission on the first million dollars in revenue earned, increasing to 30% once the developer crosses that threshold. Google’s commission is reduced to 4% for those who use third-party payment systems.
Kundan Goyal has 6+ years of experience in news editing and market research. He has helped businesses of all sizes make strategic decisions and predict future trends. Kundan only publishes content that will help them grow their sales and revenue. He publishes business news in many different categories to help industry’s learn more about any product.In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and listening music .
