Looks like the top tech giants in the world are sticking together. On Thursday, Google (NASDAQ:$GOOGL) announced that it will follow Apple’s (NASDAQ:$AAPL) lead in reducing the amount of money app developers are required to pay for mobile subscriptions processed through the Play Store.
For those who don’t know, Apple introduced a new policy for its App Store in June 2016 in an attempt to encourage developers to sell their subscriptions as in-app purchases within the iOS software. This involved lowering the standard App Store transaction fee from 30% to 15%. The changes took effect in September of 2016.
And now, it looks like Google plans on doing the same. Similar to Apple’s take on the matter, an Android developer selling a subscription service will be eligible for the price reduction as long as the customer has been subscribed for more than a year. If all goes as planned, Google will put these plans into effect starting January 2018.
This move is proof that Google is trying to stay competitive with Apple. By offering a cut in its fees, Google ensures that subscription services don’t try to bypass the Play Store in an attempt to avoid paying the fee. Additionally, it encourages software manufacturers to work harder to keep users subscribed for longer periods of time since the free reduction won’t take effect until next year.
Featured Image: depositphotos/dolphfynlow
