Google App Billing Policy: Startups Seek Pause On Play Store Delisting Till March 19

A host of Indian startups have appealed to the tech giant Google not to delist them from the Play Store or take ‘any precipitative steps’ against any app developers till March 19.

As per an ET report, around 30 companies have written to Google on Monday (February 12) requesting not to delist until the hearing of the special leave petition (SLP).

“We expect more companies to join in and send the letter to Google as we are all completely dependent on the Play Store,” a source was quoted as saying by the publication.

The development comes days after the Supreme Court on Friday refused to restrain Google from delisting apps on the Play Store. The order now allows the tech giant to remove apps that do not agree with its billing policy, which has come as a major setback for the Indian startups that had appealed against the company for its in-app payment billing policy.

However, it is pertinent to note that a bench of judges led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also agreed to hear pleas by the startups challenging Google’s billing policy.

As per the ET report, the startups said that any precipitative step taken by Google would be “extremely detrimental” to all the participants of the ecosystem comprising of startups and app developers.

We must also note that the Madras High Court on January 19 dismissed the appeals of startups against Google for its in-app payment billing policy on the Play Store. The court had then asked the US-based tech giant not to delist the startups’ mobile applications for three weeks.

The app developers had filed an SLP against the judgement delivered by the Madras High Court, which got listed before the Supreme Court on February 9.

“All this while from the time of initiation of the litigation before the High Court of Madras in March 2023 till now, we have been protected against any delisting from the Google Play Store by way of an interim order and have been making payments to you at the rate of 4% on download and In-App Revenue,” the startups had reportedly said.

The apex court has directed the SLP to be heard on March 19.

The legal battle over Google’s billing system started last year after the tech giant reduced its commission to 11-26% from the former commission range of 15-30%, for apps requiring in-app purchases. 

Several Indian startup leaders criticised Google’s move. People Group’s founder and CEO Anupam Mittal had called the tech giant ‘Digital East India Company’.