An anonymous reader shared a report. Google on Friday pulled more than a dozen popular Indian apps from its Play Store, including job platform Naukri, matrimonial service Shaadi, audio storytelling platforms Kuku FM and Stage, and property management company 99 Acres. followed its billing policy, escalating a three-year dispute in a market where users are the company's largest market. Google said 10 domestic companies, including “many long-established” companies it did not identify, were avoiding paying fees despite benefiting from the platform.
The Android maker, owned by Alphabet Inc., said it objected to a small group of developers in India that had spent more than three years preparing to comply with Play Store payment policies. Google says these companies will continue to comply with other app stores' payment policies. On Friday, some Android apps of marriage platforms Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony were removed from the Play Store. Info Edge's Naukri and 99acres, audio storytelling apps Kuku FM and Stage, Alt Balaji's Altt, and dating service Quack Quack were also banned from stores.
Bharat Matrimony CEO Murugavel Janakiraman said Google has removed about 10 apps from Indian companies from its store. Bharat Matrimony is considering its legal options, he told TechCrunch, adding that he believes Google violated India's antitrust watchdog's orders in removing the app today. Today is a “dark day for the internet in India”, he added. Lal Chand Bis, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kuku FM, says Android makers have become the “most evil” trading partner and India's startup ecosystem is “totally” under its control. and slammed Google.
