BANGALORE, INDIA - APRIL 13: (ISRAEL OUT) Tutors work at TutorVista headquarters in the early morning of April 13, 2008 in Bangalore, India. India's successful IT industry is moving up from back-office outsourcing, and into the consumer market in English speaking countries, using the internet. TutorVista offers personal tutoring lessons in Math, Sciences and English for high school students through the internet, by academically qualified Indian teachers. The price is a fraction of that paid to private tutors in the U.S. and UK. A host of other Indian companies offer even more--from advanced financial services to personal diet guidance. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
One of the world's biggest internet search, software, operating system, and service provider, Google, LLC., is now facing controversies and issues in India for its 'unreasonable' 30 percent charge on Play Store downloads that urged several Indian Start-up companies to work together and overthrow the monopoly. Indian business owners are now creating rumors about a new 'app store' venture against Google.
Indian start-up companies are now raising their voices against the 'unfair' 30 percent stake of Google's Play Store on all application transactions, even in-app purchases. Google is known the be the world's largest internet provider and the top in India, having the largest stake in the Asian country's smartphone market.
According to Tech Crunch's report, Indian start-up companies and business owners are allying to go against Google and creating the country's very own application store. This new 'App Store' will carry out local apps with lower charges or rates as offered by Google.
Thirty percent charges are too much for start-up companies in India, which is Google's second-largest internet market, trailing behind the Latino country, Brazil. According to Statistica, India holds 94.87 percent of traffic in Google's services as of May 2020.
BANGALORE, INDIA - APRIL 12: (ISRAEL OUT) Mayank Bidawatka, 27, head of marketing at redBus, displays a photo of an advertisement on a rickshaw on his iPhone at the redBus headquarters April 12, 2008 in Bangalore, India. Bidawatka is originally from Mumbai. Bangalore, the IT capital of India, attracts many young professionals from all over India. An Indian start-up business, redBus serves the new, computer savvy, middle class of India, offering bus tickets on-line. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
Earlier this year, a similar fight was ensued against Google and Apple by none other than the American games publisher and developer, Epic Games. The developer fought against Apple and Google for the 30 percent stake in each 'in-app purchases' made by players, which resulted in the ban of Fortnite in both App Store and Play Store.
India's Replication of Epic Games: No More 30% Play Store Charge in Country
Epic Games via YouTube Screenshot
Epic Games mainly targeted Apple and its high-costing App Store agreement for developers. Apple's Terms and Conditions hold a 70-30 split with the considerable part goes to developers and a smaller but still significant percentage going to Apple.
India is now making the same move as Epic Games, who is spectacularly failing in its lawsuit against Apple. However, Indian start-up companies are playing it smart by having the alliance and Play Store-alternative off-the-books. The secret alliance hold its meeting secret, but several rumors point to the creation of a new application store in India.
Google Play Store
The alliance lists several well-known start-up Indian companies with Vijay Shekhar Sharma's Paytm, Deep Kalra's MakeMyTrip, PolicyBazaar, and more. The three start-ups as mentioned earlier are some of India's biggest native companies who are now part of the alliance working together for a new 'app store' that will hold together all of Indian transactions in the future.
India's App Store: Hopes Government Back-up
Vishal Gondal, founder of India's fitness start-up, GOQii, confirmed the alliance's plans to Tech Crunch, saying that the 'alternative app store' venture of Indian start-ups would primarily benefit the economic growth of the country.
The members of the alliance are now hopeful of receiving support and blessing from its government to forego Google and head-on to create its country's very own alternative application store. Start-up companies believe that the road to self-reliance, on one's own country's ventures, would help in the declining economy.
India's move against Google's Play Store will stop the 'monopolization' of the Mountain View giant's hold on the country. The massive thirty percent would now be reduced to benefit the profit of the companies who will join and be part of the alternative app store, that will soon be established.
