Google has revealed that it will be taking on app developers, who circumvent the Play Store’s in-app payment system, by enforcing its 30% service fee. In a blog post, Google reveals that a number of developers have reported being confused over the company’s billing system policies.
“We want to be sure our policies are clear and up to date so they can be applied consistently and fairly to all developers, and so we have clarified the language in our Payments Policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods in their apps are required to use Google Play’s billing system,” reads the post.
The tech company has always required developers who distribute their apps on Play to use Google Play’s billing system if they offer in-app purchases of digital goods, and pay a service fee from a percentage of the purchase.“We only collect a service fee if the developer charges users to download their app or they sell in-app digital items, and we think that is fair.
Not only does this approach allow us to continuously reinvest in the platform, but this business model also aligns our success directly with the success of developers.”By enforcing this policy, Google has taken up equal rank with competitor Apple who has come under fire from Epic Games over its 30% service fee.
In recent months, Epic Games has gone to court in a bid to restore Fortnite to the App Store after its initial request was denied. Apple has since asked the court to reject the game developer, branding the company as “a saboteur, not a martyr” in its campaign against Apple’s payment system.
Bloomberg revealed that Apple says “Epic started a fire and poured gasoline on it, and now asks this court for emergency assistance in putting it out”.
“Epic has engaged in a full-scale, pre-planned media blitz surrounding its decision to breach its agreement with Apple, creating ad campaigns around the effort that continue to this day.”
