Google Allows Developers Who Distribute Apps In The EEA To Use Personal Billing Systems With Strings Attached

Google has reportedly relaxed its billing requirements for developers distributing apps across the EEA. Therefore, developers are being given the chance to make use of their own personalized means for payments but it’s not exactly for free.

Over the years, we’ve seen leading tech giants like Apple and Google deal with so many cases related to anti-trust involving locations of the European Union and those across the US. Both of these firms have been at the center of arguments where they’ve been forced to deal with so many fines.

But after the passing of the DMA, Google is finally entering into compliance with the announcement of alternate payment options for developers. Therefore, developers won’t be required to bound themselves to Google Pay and can look outside the system.

Like all other things in life, there is a catch here and that’s related to developers being forced to pay an additional 12% fee charge. This will account for the initial revenue worth $1 million per year. And while it’s gone below the usual 15%, the amount is still quite high.

The company made the announcement publicly today. According to them, the company won’t be removing apps from developers who choose to take payments outside their Google Pay systems for users hailing from the EEA.

However, for any users located outside the EEA, the same old rules of sticking to Google Pay’s system are needed, or else the app would be removed as per policy, the company reiterated.

Google hopes to allow for the decision of various billing options to be implemented very soon, hopefully well in advance of the Digital Market Act’s effective date.

In case you’re wondering which nations come under EEA, well it’s the entire EU with Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein being included.

But Google has also recently issued another warning regarding how all alternate systems for billing need to meet the company’s requirements and those that fail to do so won’t be allowed and developers would be penalized for such behavior too.

At the same time, great emphasis was put on a support system being made available for such users. As far as the fee collected by Google is concerned, well, the answer provided was quite interesting by the company.

They claim all funds would be used to better it's Android and Play so that the whole ecosystem can benefit as confirmed by the company.

If there are developers making a revenue that exceeds the $ 1 million benchmark, they’ll be rewarded with a 3% drop in fees, in regards to when they use personalized billing systems.

For now, we know that the DMA isn’t coming into play anytime soon. However, that doesn’t mean the firm isn’t gearing up to comply with its policies. Hence, this gives plenty of developers the time needed to make the amendments for transition to other payment systems, in case they’re willing to switch.

Such systems would be restricted to the app only and can only be used within the designation of the EEA, Google confirmed. There are more guidelines provided in the company’s Help article.


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