Android 12 will make it easier to use other app stores and Google Play will strengthen its payment policy

To improve your mobile operating system every year, Google listens to feedback from its partners. Application and game developers send their suggestions for improve Android and Google Play, with some ideas that Google wants come true in 2021.

Today Google has shared some of the key topics they have heard, such as support the ability of developers to choose how to distribute their applications, clarify Google Play payment policies or ensure fair treatment for all applications.

Choice of app stores

Behind the war started by Epic Games, Google believes that developers should be free to choose how they should distribute their applications and that third-party stores should compete for the consumer and developer business. Android has always allowed users to have several app stores installed, what’s more, many mobiles come standard with a couple of stores, but more news will come next year.

Android 12 you want to improve the user experience by installing another app store, and for this want to make it even easier to use other app stores without compromising the security measures that Android has implemented. Google is designing these changes and will provide more information in the future. Google could add a list of trusted third-party stores.

Google Play clarifies its payment policy

As Google advanced a few days ago, the company clarifies the payment policy of the Play Store. Google has always required applications and games to use the Google Play billing But many developers have been circumventing these policies.

The complaints of the developers is that the language of his policy was unclear with respect to the types of transactions that require the use of the Google Play billing system, thereby gave interpretations. Now the new payment policy It is more explicit, so there is no longer any doubt about when it will be mandatory or not to use Google Play billing.

The changes to the Google Play payment policy are:

• The integrated purchases of digital content the Google Play billing system will be mandatory. This includes:

  • Items (such as virtual currencies, extra lives, extra playtime, add-ons, characters, and avatars).
  • Subscription services (such as fitness apps, games, dating, education, music, video, or other content subscription services).
  • App content or features (such as the ad-free version of an app or new features not available in the free version).
  • Cloud software and services (such as data storage services, business productivity software, or financial management software).

• The Google Play billing system will not have to be used for purchases of physical products or services such as:

  • To buy or rent physical products, such as food items, clothing, kitchenware, and electronics.
  • To contract physical services, such as transportation services, cleaning services, airline tickets, gym subscriptions, food delivery or tickets to live events.
  • To pay credit card or utility bills, such as telecommunications or cable television services.

• They also won’t have to use Google Play billing to:

  • Point-to-point payments, online auctions and tax-exempt donations.
  • Payments to acquire content or services that offer online gambling games.

Another important point is that applications cannot direct users to any other payment method other than the Google

Play billing system. Therefore, they are prohibited from directing to other payment methods from the Google Play tab, from the application itself, whether from a WebView, buttons, links or advertising. Currently applications like Netflix allow you to subscribe from another payment method and this will no longer be allowed. If they do not want to use Google Play billing, they cannot offer alternatives. The application will have to be limited to the login.

New applications submitted after January 20, 2021 will have to comply with the new billing policies. Current applications They have until September 30, 2021 to prevent Google Play from expelling them from their store.

Equal treatment

The Google Play team advises that their policies and standards apply equally to all applications, including Google’s own applications, to say which applications to promote on Google Play. For example, in the ‘Editors Choice’ section they regularly promote competing apps. Also, its algorithms rank third-party apps and games using the same criteria as Google’s own apps. The store treats third-party apps and Google apps equally.

Communication with clients

The Google Play team will allow developers to use email or other channels such as social media to communicate directly with their customers without significant restrictions. From outside the application, the developer can directly inform their customers about prices, offers and alternative ways of paying, offering a better cost than in Google Play, but never from the application itself downloaded from the Play Store.

Via | Android Developers

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Android 12 will make it easier to use other app stores and Google Play will strengthen its payment policy

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