Google is intensifying its efforts to enforce compliance with its new app billing policy, with potential actions including the removal of non-compliant apps from the app store. In a blog post on Friday, Google mentioned that up to 10 companies have chosen not to comply with its policies and have sought interim protections from the court. Although these developers adhere to the payment policies of other app stores, Google did not disclose their names.
In the post, Google stated, “We’ve always respected local laws. For years, no court or regulator has denied Google Play’s right to charge for the value and services we provide. On February 9, the Supreme Court also refused to interfere with our right to do so. While some of the developers that were refused interim protection have started fairly participating in our business model and ecosystem, others choose to find ways to not do so.”
It is worth recalling that last month, the apex court declined a plea by a few companies to restrain Google from delisting their apps, listing the case for the next hearing on March 19.
Google emphasized in its blog post that allowing this small group of developers to receive differential treatment while the majority comply creates an “uneven playing field across the ecosystem and puts all other apps and games at a competitive disadvantage.” The company revealed that over 200,000 Indian developers using Google Play adhere to its policies, with less than 60 developers on Google Play subject to fees above 15% as per its new tiered pricing programs.
The ongoing dispute between Google and developers over the commission charged for transactions on the app store has been a longstanding issue. Google and Apple have made various policy changes over the years to address developers’ concerns. In India, several startups have raised objections to Google’s app store policies and taken legal action. PhonePe, an Indian fintech company, has launched its own app store, Indus AppStore, offering support for 12 languages and no platform fees or commissions for in-app payments.
