Fintech platform PhonePe, on September 23, unveiled its Indus Appstore developer platform, which the company has pitted to directly rival the Google Play Store. According to the company, Android developers can join the Indus Appstore at no platform fees, and the app store has also eliminated commission fees for in-app purchases.
PhonePe's Founder and CEO, Sameer Nigam highlighted the importance of altering the reliance on email IDs for login, particularly in India, where the majority of users leapfrogged email when they first entered the internet.
“There are fewer e-mail IDs than smartphones in the country, which means people don’t even get personalised recommendations. We are going to change that. We are going to become a mobile-first market,” he said.
Developers who opt for the Indus Appstore will enjoy free app listings in the first year, with a nominal fee applying in subsequent years. Furthermore, Android developers will have the liberty to integrate their preferred payment gateways within their apps.
Currently, Android developers heavily depend on the Google Play Store to list their applications, which holds about 95% market share in India among mobile phone users.
The Indus Appstore is expected to offer an alternative to developers to list relevant apps for Indian customers at affordable prices. In comparison to the promised zero commission for in-app purchases on Indus Appstore, app store platforms from tech giants like Google and Apple charge between 15% and 25% for in-app purchases in addition to other charges.
PhonePe’s app store will be available in 12 Indian languages and is expected to offer a “localised experience” to Indian users.
As per PhonePe, several renowned brands have already listed their apps on the Indus Appstore, and partnerships with leading smartphone manufacturers are set to further expand its reach. This strategic move is expected to challenge Google's dominance in the Indian Android app market and provide diverse app-listing opportunities for developers, both existing and new.
“Unlike Google’s location-based targeting, developers on Indus Appstore will target user cohorts based on their language preferences. Nigam explained that Indus Appstore has a transliteration engine that provides information about an app in multiple languages as well as the ability to boost brand awareness with engaging videos,” the company said in a statement.
The Indus Appstore's initial expansion phase is said to focus on building a substantial consortium of Android developers on the platform. Once apps are listed on the platform, the Indus Appstore will become accessible to end-users. Sameer Nigam's ultimate goal is to onboard 90% of the top 5,000 developers, ensuring a level playing field for all.
The launch of the developer platform, which took place at the TechSparks 2023 Bengaluru edition, was also attended by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
(Edited by : Amrita)
First Published: Oct 16, 2023 12:14 PM IST
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