“This change means that developers can now offer an alternative billing system alongside Google Play’s billing system to users in India making in-app purchases within Play-distributed apps on mobile phones and tablets,” the search giant said in an email reviewed by ET.
The CCI in its two rulings — one on October 20 and the second on October 25 — had directed the American company to make close to 20 changes in the operation of its services in India which included providing alternative payment options to developers.
In its verdict, the CCI said, “Google shall allow, and not restrict app developers from using any third-party billing/ payment processing services, either for in-app purchases or for purchasing apps. Google shall also not discriminate or otherwise take any adverse measures against such apps using third party billing/ payment processing services, in any manner.”
In January, Google announced around five changes to the way it operates Android and Google Play billing in India. One among these changes was to expand user choice billing to all developers.
A Google spokesperson also told ET earlier that the company has submitted its compliance plan to the CCI and continues to follow the legal process in India.
Discover the stories of your interest
“We are making some changes as required by the CCI’s directives. Implementation of these changes across the ecosystem will be a complex process and will require significant work at our end and, in many cases, significant efforts from partners, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers,” Google had said in its blog post at the time.Google was forced to extend the timeline for apps on alternative payment systems to comply with its play billing system multiple times and also had to defer the enforcement of 30% commission on in-app purchases of digital goods from its Play Store in India owing to mounting protests by Indian developers.
