Indian Founders To Form Association Against Google; Approaches US Group For Help

An association of nearly 150 entrepreneurs plans to approach the Coalition For App Fairness, a US-based organisation to learn lessons from their fight against Apple. 

The move follows rising discontent among Indian startups against Google’s policies on 30% cut of transactions. 

The association is looking to study the coalition’s structure, form, goals and strategy. The coalition, which was formed last month, is exploring a fair and balanced marketplace “where every software supplier and every component vendor can compete for business on iOS without being constrained by terms and limitations that have been crafted by the company.”  

Entrepreneurs across India have been vocal in recent times against Google, with Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma, calling the American internet giant “a toll collector.”

In September, nearly 40 entrepreneurs had presented their views to the government through a virtual meeting chaired by ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) secretary Ajay Sawhney.   

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma, GOQii’s Vishal Gondal, Anand Lunia of India Quotient and Gautam Mago of A91 Partners, as well as the founders of Innov8, Bharat Matrimony, upGrad, Dream11, and TrulyMadly presented their views.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the concerns, Industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) had called for a huddle to discuss the issue. 

Reports have also suggested that besides taking recourse via industry bodies, a few technology entrepreneurs may be in talks to petition the government seeking support to create an overarching Indian digital app ecosystem.

“Just because Google owns the gate and the gateway to the digital ecosystem of this country, they should not act arbitrarily and enforce their rules and regulations which are contrary to our country’s laws,” IAMAI said.

ET had reported quoting a tech founder, who did want to be named, that the Coalition For App Fairness includes internet companies such as Epic Games, Tinder-parent Match Group, Basecamp, and Spotify. 

While slamming Google for acting as a toll collector for app developers, Paytm CEO Sharma said that his company’s Mini App Store won’t charge any commission from app developers for in-app purchases made by users on their mobile applications. 

Late last month, Google announced its intentions of charging a 30% commission for in-app purchases made in mobile applications distributed on the Play Store. Earlier this month, Google deferred the implementation of these policies until March 2022. 

During the conference, Sharma added that app developers, for a limited period of time, would be able to make an account on the Mini App Store for free and work towards developing their apps.

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