Google has taken decisive steps to remove several matrimonial apps in India amid a serious dispute over service fee payments. famous platform, including bharat marriagewere all affected, eliciting a strong reaction from Murugavel Janakiraman, founder of Matrimony.com.
Janakiraman reportedly called the incident “a dark day for the Indian internet.”
Google Play removes some Indian apps
At the heart of the disagreement is an attempt by some Indian startups to resist Google’s 11% to 26% service fee on in-app payments.
The conflict stems from directives from the country’s antitrust authorities Google will discontinue its previous system Charge 15% to 30%.
Notably, some startups are yet to comply with the directive. Still, Google could choose to either charge or remove the apps. The company obtained this right from two court decisions in January and February, including one from the Supreme Court stating that even startups were not excluded.
The consequences were already felt on Friday when Matrimony.com’s dating apps such as Bharat Matrimony, Christian Matrimony, Muslim Matrimony and Jodii were removed. At the same time, notify Play Store Violation Issued Matrimony.com and Info Edge (the company behind Jeevansathi app).
The companies are currently reviewing the notices and considering next steps, according to reports sent to Reuters. After the news broke, Matrimony.com’s stock price initially fell 2.7%, and Info Edge’s stock price fell 1.5%.
especially, Founder of Information EdgeSanjeev Bikhchandani confirmed the company’s willingness to abide by Google’s policies and pay all pending invoices promptly.
Google responded to the matter
In response to this situation, Google published a blog postal It said 10 Indian companies are still unwilling to pay for “the tremendous value they get on Google Play” over an extended period of time.
It also highlighted that only 3% of the more than 200,000 Indian developers on the Google Play platform are obliged to pay any service fees.
It further highlighted a number of enforcement measures, including comply with its policies on the Google Play app. In cases where developers fail to comply, consequences may include removal of non-compliant apps from the platform.
This action will not bring any form of punishment, but is a means to maintain the integrity and safety of the ecosystem.
The tech giant, meanwhile, has defended its right to charge, stressing that no court or regulator has challenged it. On February 9, even the Supreme Court refused to intervene.
Google’s move to remove matrimonial apps is likely to trigger a backlash from India’s startup community.they have protest against these practices has been an American tech giant for years.
Google occupies 94% of the Android platform mobile phones in the Indian market, and its every move attracts attention.
However, the company insists its fees support investments in its app store and Android mobile operating system and cover developer tools and analytics services.