Google changes in the Play Store and now allows access to alternative payment methods

The music service Spotify, would be one of the first users of Google

Google has announced that it will allow the use of alternative payment methods on the Play Store, its app store, games, books and movies.

It will be trial at first and limited to a very small number of developers, starting with Spotify.

As Mountain View explained, the pilot program called User Choice Billing, will allow the public to choose how to pay for an in-app purchase.

Therefore, they can choose a payment gateway that Google always offers or take advantage of a third-party option.

In this way, the Play Store will expand what is already available in Korea to other countries.

It should be remembered that last year the so-called anti-google law was passed, which obliged the company (and Apple) to offer alternative payment methods in its app stores.

What Google is currently proposing can be seen as a nod to regulators, given the growing pressure in different parts of the world. However, the various payment details selected by the user have not yet been revealed; among them, the exact date of the launch and changes related to the payment of commissions.

Alternative payment methods arrive on the Play Store

As mentioned earlier, details about incorporating alternative payment methods into the Play Store are still unknown. While Google confirmed to Techcrunch that developers will continue to pay a commission no matter how many times they use a third-party payment gateway, no specific percentage was mentioned.

Like other app and digital content stores, Mountain View’s market share could reach 30%. Last year, however, Californians announced that they would receive a 15% cut in app and subscription sales. Now it will be necessary to see how much more it is reduced for the implementation of other payment options; in South Korea, the decline did not exceed 4%, according to the aforementioned report.