Google to Strengthen Push for 30% Commission on In-Apps Purchases: Report

Google is planning to push harder for developers on its Google Play Store to give the company a its 30 percent commission on in-app purchases, according to a report citing sources close to the matter. According to the Bloomberg report, Google plans to issue an updated set of guidelines by next week that will clarify a requirement for most apps to use Google’s billing service for in-app content downloads, upgrades, and subscriptions. Google requires developers to give it a 30 percent cut of in-app purchases if the app is downloaded via Google Play Store.

Now, this is not a new development from Google. This requirement has existed for years but apps have found ways to circumvent the rule. Popular streaming apps like Netflix and Spotify, for example, prompt customers to pay using a credit card within the app instead of using their Play Store account. Last year, dating app Tinder also took a similar approach, the Bloomberg report said. The report says that developers who are currently not in compliance with this guideline will be given time to update their apps. “For developers who choose to distribute their apps on Google Play, our policy has always required them to use Play’s billing system if they offer in-app purchases,” a Google spokesperson was quoted by Bloomberg as saying.