Google is offering a compromise solution to 10 key developers whose apps have been removed from the Play Store, sources said. Under the program, Google will relist apps on the Play Store for free as long as any transactions therein are not made through Google’s payment platform. The deal has been completed by Info Edge.
However, these apps can be traded through their respective websites. And they don’t have to pay the 11% to 30% share of digital revenue. Google will continue to distribute these apps through the App Store.
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However, if they want to be listed on the Play Store and use Google’s payments platform, they have to pay a fee of 11% to 30% as part of the commercial agreement. Sources revealed that most developers have already accepted the plan.
Previously, Google said yesterday that they would remove 10 developers’ apps from the Play Store because they did not comply with the user choice billing system.
Affected companies include Shaadi, Bharat Matrimony, Naukri.com, 99 Acres and others. Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani said today that for them, the only app in dispute was Jeevansathi.com and that they complied with the rule on February 9 but did not receive any notification from Google regarding non-compliance of any other app. However, two of the lands (99 Acres and Naukri) were also deleted.
According to sources aware of the development, the proposal will also be discussed at a meeting convened by Communications Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw next week to discuss the contentious issue. Vishno, who intervened in the matter, made it clear that India’s policy is very clear that new startups will get the required protection and such delisting will not be allowed.
Sources close to the issue said that in February, the US company decided to initiate the process to do so after the Supreme Court order did not grant any interim relief to the petitioners, which included startups objecting to the removal of the app, but The procedure is just a few weeks away, the first week of March. Commissions on digital earnings also include 4% of transactions that occur on Google’s platform.
However, sources said some erring developers have returned to the platform through the zero-payment option offered by Google. The company also promised that it will soon change the status of apps to the new option so that developers are not affected.
Sources said Google also pointed out in discussions with developers that many developers have been paying commissions to rival app stores without making any complaints about it.
