Paytm, MakeMyTrip, PolicyBazaar, and other Indian startups are plotting an alternative app store to the ones from Google and Apple. Apparently, dozens of execs from top Indian startups have agreed to this over a conference call held earlier this week.
Although it seems like retaliation to Google’s temporary ban of Paytm stating the breach of the Play Store Gambling policies, there’s a major play here. This will very likely safeguard and promote local developers as a part of the country’s Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) initiative.
ALSO READ: Google Pixel 4a to launch in India on Oct 17
“Android has a 97% market share in India. So, we should intervene and handhold Indian startups,” according to government sources, as cited by ET Now.
Fresh reports suggest the current government’s Mobile Seva App Store would be overhauled for this purpose. And it may bring in the local apps and services to its fold. The government sources have also ensured that developers would be relieved of the 30% tax, they currently pay to Google and Apple. Moreover, it is also planning to enforce the Android OEMs to pre-bundle its app suite on their phones.
Lately, the two app store goliaths have been facing heat for their stringent commission and regulatory policies. The contentious 30-percent app store cut became a hot topic in tech news ever since the Epic Apple dispute broke out. And just the other day, the Silicon Valley giant made headlines over its decision to make Google Pay Billing System mandatory for in-app store purchases. This means it’ll be levying the same cut from all these transactions going forward.
So, if the band of Indian startups is able to build the envisioned app store, it might act as a boon to the entire app ecosystem. Let’s see how it all pans out.
Sources: Economic Times | Techcrunch
