Google Play store has removed Info Edge-owned recruitment platform Naukri(dot)com and its real estate business 99acres. Till Saturday afternoon, neither of the apps was found on the Google Play store. However, the company's matrimony business Jeevansathi was not delisted. Info Edge confirmed that these apps indeed were taken down from the platform. The company said that Google had taken down five of its apps including the flagship Naukri app, Naukrigulf Job Search App, Naukri Recruiter, 99acres, and Shiksha.
Info Edge told MoneyControl that the removal of the apps came as a surprise since this action was taken by Google without giving due and sufficient notice. The company is now reviewing and evaluating the next course of action while working with Google in this regard in order to ensure that the firm's mobile applications get reinstated on the Google Play store as soon as possible.
This action is part of Google's drive to rid those apps from Indian app developers which the tech giant said have not complied with its app billing policy for an "extended period of time."
Other Apps That Had Been Taken Down
It has been observed that apps of matrimony firms Matrimony, Shaadi.com, streaming platforms Altt, Aha, and Stage, dating apps Truly Madly and Quack Quack, audio content platform Kuku FM, and social networking app FRND have been taken down from Play Store as of March 1.
Later in the day on March 1, Info Edge's Naukri and 99acres were also removed from the Google Play store.
There is one thing common in these companies, and that is they were petitioners in a case against Google's app billing policy in the Supreme Court.
Google, while giving the reason for this step, said in a blog post, "After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Court’s order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem."
What Is CCI's Anti-Trust Order Against Google?
In the heart of all this is the Google Play Billing System (GPBS) and Google’s payment policies for Android apps which are applicable on the sale of all digital goods and services sold via the in-app billing system and initially required all developers to use only GPBS. When using GPBS, developers are required to remit a 15 per cent service fee to Google for the initial $1 million in revenue generated, and 30 per cent for earnings exceeding $1 million. The service fee for "automatically renewing subscription products" remains at 15 per cent.
This created a lot of buzz in the Indian startup ecosystem following which the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in October 2022 said this practice was anticompetitive. After this order from the CCI, Google started allowing developers in India to offer alternative billing systems. The developers who chose to do this got their service to Google reduced by 4 per cent.
In order to seem like it is complying with the policy, Google has given developers three options. These options are: developers can opt for GPBS, they can have an alternative billing system, or they can “operate on a consumption-only basis without paying a service fee”. However, Indian app developers were not satisfied with this for two main reasons. The first reason is that despite opting for an alternative billing system, they were still obligated to pay Google an 11 per cent or a 26 per cent fee, which according to them is unfair. The second reason is that they believe that this violates the CCI’s order.
Google on the other hand argues that it does not violate the order. In a blog post it said, "In 2020, we clarified the requirements of our Payments policy and developers in India have had considerable time to make the necessary changes to their apps. We are respectfully following the CCI’s October 2022 order, and in compliance with that order, we expanded user choice billing to all developers in India and updated our policy that went into effect starting April 26, 2023."
Supreme Court To Hear Plea
Earlier in February, the Supreme Court of India refused to pass an interim order which would protect internet firms such as Matrimony(dot)com, and Shaadi(dot)com from being delisted from Google's Play Store on February 9.
This paved the way for Google to take the action of removing these from the Play store the delisting action. Now, the apex court is likely to hear pleas from startups challenging Google's app billing policy on March 19.