Paytm has challenged Google Play Store by launching heir own mini App Store which seeks to help developers to take their applications to the masses. It is the start-up’s latest move to break Google’s monopoly on distribution of Android applications.
Paytm is listing and distributing these mini apps from the app without any charge. Developers would be able to give a choice of Paytm Wallet, Paytm Payments Bank, UPI, net banking and card payment to users.
Mini apps are usually custom-built mobile websites that provide users an app-like experience without the requirement of an actual download and this can also benefit the users by helping them to save their data and memory. This comes a few weeks after Google removed the Paytm app temporarily from Play Store due to violation of gambling policies.
Swiggy and Zomato have hit the pause button on their sports-based cashback games after notices were sent to them for violating the policies of Play Store related to sports betting activities and Zomato termed this as ‘unfair’. Media reports say that Indian start-up founders have joined hands to make an alternative indigenous app store.
Paytm has created digital infrastructure so that it can help small developers and businesses to set up low-cost and quick-to-build mini-apps which can be built by using HTML and javascript tech.
The company has also provided options to pay through Paytm wallet, Paytm Payments Bank and UPI at zero charges and levying 2% charge for other mediums like credit cards.
The Android Mini App Store of Paytm provides direct access to discover, browse and pay without downloading and installing separate apps. Around 300 app-based service providers like Decathlon, Ola, Rapido, Netmeds, 1MG and Domino’s Pizza have joined this programme.
Paytm said that it has a developer dashboard for analytics and payment collection with various marketing tools for engaging with users. The app store is running in beta with selected users and saw around 12 million visits in September.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, who is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Paytm said that Paytm Mini App Store empowers young Indian developers to leverage their reach and payments to build new innovative services. It would be a seamless experience for Paytm users that doesn’t need separate downloads and allows them to use their preferred payment option.
Google recently said that apps selling digital goods at Play Store have to use their billing system that allows the tech giant to collect a percentage of in-app purchases like a fee.
Non-compliant apps that need technical work to integrate the billing system have been given some time till 30th September, 2021 to complete the required updates.