New Delhi:
In a bold move, Google has initiated the removal of apps belonging to 10 Indian companies, sparking controversy in one of its fastest-growing markets. The list includes well-known names such as Bharatmatrimony and Naukri.
The dispute primarily revolves around Google’s imposition of fees ranging from 11% to 26% on in-app payments. Indian startups have long protested against what they deem as unfair practices by the US tech giant.
Google, on the other hand, contends that these fees play a crucial role in the development and promotion of the Android and Play Store app ecosystem.
While Google is yet to put out the list of apps dropped from Play Store, here are the names that are known:
- Bharatmatrimony – dating/ matchmaking application
- Truly Madly – dating/ matchmaking application
- Quack quack – dating site
- Stage – OTT platform
- Kuku FM – OTT podcast application
Three of the apps which were dropped by Google yesterday are now back on the Playstore. These are:
- Jeevansathi.com – dating/ matchmaking application
- 99 acres – property trading site
- Naukri.com – Job recruitment site
This is not the first time Google has clashed with Indian companies over app store policies. In 2020, the tech giant briefly removed the popular Indian payments app Paytm from the Play Store, citing policy violations.
Google’s dominance in the Indian market is evident, with a staggering 94% of phones in the country running on its Android platform. The removal of these apps has left millions of users without access to popular services, prompting concerns about the impact on both consumers and the affected companies.
