Google’s googly has confounded digital companies and the government

Posted on: 03 Mar, 07:45 PM

Key Points

Googles stance on charging the apps on its store for a significant percentage of their business has left digital companies and the government in the same state as a batsman facing a googly..

The issue started with Google charging 30% of revenues (not profits) earned by digital companies through the apps hosted on the Google Play Store..

Therefore, digital companies had dragged Google to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for Play Store policies that require app developers to exclusively and mandatorily use the Google Play Billing System (GPBS) for receiving payments for apps..

Also, Google Play Store conditions stop app developers from providing users with a link from their app to a web page that allows them to pay using payment gateways other than Googles..

Even as the case remains sub-judice in the Supreme Court, things came to a head this week when Google unilaterally decided to delist a bunch of popular Indian apps from its store, on charges of the apps no paying Googles charges, which have since then been brought down to under 15% of revenues..

Full story at mint |

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