After years of legal battles with Epic Games, Google has announced changes to its Play Store that are important for developers but could also change how you pay, how much you spend, or where you download new apps on Android.
Using third-party app stores as alternatives to Google Play will soon be made easier with a new Registered App Store program. It’s an optional title for app and game storefronts that help them become a recommended choice by Google, which the brand calls a “simplier installation flow” for sideloading.
App stores can choose to program for free, but they need to meet Google’s standards and security standards. Google confirmed in an interview with The Verge that the final decision on whether to include the App Store in its program will be made by Google, not an independent entity.
The functionality is slated to roll out outside the US first as the brand awaits court approval for the feature.
Another big change is the elimination of the 30% developer fee, which Google currently charges on payments made through Play Services. They’re falling to 20% or less across the US, making Google Play billing for in-app purchases more profitable for developers.
It will also soon let developers offer their own billing systems for payments hosted outside the Play Store.
Google says, “Mobile developers will have the option to use their own in-app billing system alongside Google Play billing, or they can direct users outside of their app to their websites to make purchases. Our goal is to offer this flexibility in a way that maximizes choice and security for users.”
All of this is happening because of a legal battle with Epic Games, which brought a new payment system to Fortnite in 2020. This allowed users to bypass Play Store fees and choose a cheaper in-game purchase option by going directly to Epic Games.
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Google’s Face updates will hit the Play Store in the US, Europe and the UK by the end of June. It will then gradually roll out to the rest of the world, with Google planning to complete the implementation by the end of September 2027.
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Along with these changes, Google and Epic Games have also resolved the ongoing dispute, and Fortnite is back on the Play Store worldwide.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, said, “Google is opening up Android all the way with competitive stores, competitive payments, and a better deal for all developers. So, we’ve settled all our disputes around the world. THANKS GOOGLE!”
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