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Microsoft , Amazon and Meta are among the top brands whose apps are list on the Indian fintech PhonePe ’s Indus Appstore , an Android app store launched Wednesday in challenge to Google ’s monopoly in its largest market by users .
To fight Google Play Store , PhonePe has armedIndus Appstorewith a reach of unique and personalized features and developer - favorable damage . Indus Appstore sustain 12 regional languages ( include English ) and around - the - clock accompaniment armed service , the $ 12 billion Walmart - backed fintech said .
The app fund — which today features over 200,000 apps , including Flipkart , Spotify , and Paytm across 45 categories — supports third - company requital and will not levy any itemisation fee for one year , it say . If developers use third - company defrayal service and gateways , PhonePe will still not levy any fee , said the startup ’s co - founder and chief executive Sameer Nigam at a mechanical press league .
Google apps were missing from the computer storage , which startedcourting developers in September last year . PhonePe , which leads the mobile payments grocery store in India , isworking with many third - party aggregator to on - board the apps and many big brands have also signed up to Indus Appstore , it say .
Indus Appstore features several other localize features , including app discovery via short television and the ability to sign in to the store with a fluid phone number instead of an email address . It also offers “ wise update ” that beam updates to customers ’ phones during hours when their phones have large data point availability .
PhonePe aims to be a top Google Play choice in India — but it has a challenging route ahead
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Indus Appstore is the latest of a series of attempts by app developer globally to push back against Google and Apple ’s duopoly on fluid apps and what many aver unfair term . The two tech monster are face growing repercussion from app developers globally over the mission charged on their respective app stores . A superfluity of ill has come out accusing the companies , which control over 99 % of the global consumer spend on mobile apps , of ill-use their rife position to impose excessive fees of up to 30 % on app transaction .
India , the world ’s largest market by app downloads , is a nation of 750 million to 800 million link smartphone exploiter . Indus Appstore exists because as a commonwealth “ we desire to have a percentage point of view on what we can and can not do , ” Nigam enunciate , assert that what the nation consumes should not be controlled by one or two caller .
“ We will declare oneself an option with a different set of features and capableness . Some will like us , some will care others . We are just ask for a chance to compete on meritoriousness , ” he enounce , noting that competition will push Google to ameliorate its caper Store terminal figure in India .
PhonePe is spend a penny the app depot usable to download to consumers from its website ( users will have to sideload the app on their Android phones ) . Nigam said the firm is in talks with “ multiple ” earphone makers and hopes to close some deals in the come weeks .
Indus Appstore also “ promises ” to tender broader transparency — including explain to the developer when their app has been draw , and why .
PhonePe plans to monetise Indus Appstore by charging developers for app breakthrough and by showing ads , Nigam said .
Ivan Mehta contributed to this report .
