Google Stops In-House Billing System For App Developers In India After CCI Penalty: Report

Google had previously set an extended deadline of October 31 for developers in India to comply with its payments policy

Google should not restrict app developers from using third-party billing or payment processing services in India, the CCI said last week, also fining the tech firm $113 million.

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US tech major Google is pausing its policy that requires app developers to use its Google Play billing system for buying digital goods and services in India, following a ruling by India’s antitrust body the Competition Commission of India (CCI), Reuters reported on Tuesday.

According to the news agency, Google had previously set an extended deadline of October 31 for developers in India to comply with its payments policy.

The search engine giant should not restrict app developers from using third-party billing or payment processing services in India, the CCI said last week, also fining Google $113 million.

It is reviewing its legal options, as it aims to build its Android and Play services, according to a post on Google's website seen on Tuesday.

Last month, the CCI had also asked Google to change its approach to its Android platform, slapping another $162 million for anticompetitive practices related to its operating system.

It has come under fire globally, including in South Korea, for mandating software developers using its app store to use a proprietary in-app payment system.

The blog said the requirement to use its billing system still applies for users outside of the country.

Google last week was slapped with a fresh penalty of Rs 936.44 crores by the CCI over anti-competitive practices. The tech firm offered a response to the newest fine, saying that it is reviewing the decision of the fair trade regulator and that it remains “committed” to its users and developers.

The big-tech firm has been accused of abusing its dominant position in the market with respect to its Google Play store policies. The latest penalty follows another fine of Rs 1,337.76 crores on the tech giant for a similar reason, which was announced by the fair trade regulator on October 20.