Pitched battle: PhonePe announces Indus Appstore for Android developers to take on Google
PhonePe on Saturday announced the launch of Indus Appstore developer platform, wooing Android app developers with the promise of zero platform fee or commission for in-app payments, as the digital payments firm made a bold and decisive move to confront the might of Google in the app marketplace with the Made-in-India app store.
Akash Dongre, Co-Founder of Indus Appstore rued that app developers are forced to work with only one app store - Google Play Store - for distributing their apps, and vowed that the new offering will be a credible alternative, more localised, with better app discovery and consumer engagement.
The Indus Appstore Developer platform comes with sweeteners - app listings on it will be free for the first year, after which a nominal annual fee will apply. Moreover, the Indus Appstore will not charge developers any platform fee or commission for In-App Payments.
Developers will be free to integrate any payment gateway of their choice inside their own apps. These apps will be listed on the soon-to-be launched "Made-in-India" Indus Appstore, offering a localised experience in 12 languages, tailored for Indian audiences. This means users will be able to explore the appstore in their preferred language.
"PhonePe, today announced the launch of the Indus Appstore Developer Platform... Indus Appstore is inviting all Android app developers to register and upload their apps using the self-serve developer platform www.indusappstore.com," according to a release.
The Appstore will also have a 'Launch Pad' for new developers to onboard their apps and provide them with better visibility and search optimisation.
Dongre observed that India is poised to have over 1 billion smartphone users by 2026, offering a massive opportunity
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