Google defers Indian in-app fee by six mths after startups protest
Alphabet Inc’s Google has extended its deadline for Indian app developers to comply with a new billing system for commission fee by six months, it said on Monday, days after local startups voiced anger about the charges.
Google will now enforce its global policy more strictly and charge a 30% commission fee for in-app purchases from Indian developers from March 31, 2022, the company said, saying it was “being mindful of local needs and concerns”.
The move comes after many startups in India banded together to consider ways to challenge the company by lodging complaints with the government and courts over the original deadline for compliance of September 30 next year.
They were upset about the commission fee and also criticised several other Google Play Store policies for hurting their businesses.
“We do not succeed unless our partners succeed,” Google said in a blog post, adding it will set up “listening sessions” with leading Indian startups to understand their issues.
Last week, Google fixed the enforcement date for the new billing system at September 30, 2021 and said only 3% of apps globally were non-compliant. — Reuters
