PhonePe Takes on Google Play Store with Indus Appstore in India
PhonePe is set to challenge Google Play Store in India with its Indus Appstore, a move that follows PhonePe’s acquisition of Indus OS in July 2022. The company has launched the Indus Appstore Developer Platform, inviting Android app developers to register and upload their apps. This “Made-in-India” appstore aims to provide a localized experience in 12 languages tailored for Indian users. For the first year, developers can list their apps on the Indus Appstore Developer Platform for free, with a small annual fee applying thereafter. Importantly, the platform imposes no platform fees or commissions for In-App Payments, allowing developers to integrate their preferred payment gateways. PhonePe sees this as an alternative distribution channel for Android developers seeking access to the Indian market. The platform prioritizes multilingual app discovery to facilitate high-quality user acquisition and includes features like the “Launch Pad” for startup visibility and search...