South Korea has become the first country for which Google has specifically changed the rules of its app store. Now developers will be able to freely use third-party payment systems, while giving the company 4% less. This is necessary to comply with the so-called “Law against Google“.Google announced this last week in its blog.
“We respect the decision of the National Assembly and want to submit several changes in response to the new law. Among other things, we will provide developers selling digital goods and services in applications with the opportunity to add an alternative billing system along with the Google Play payment system for South Korean users,” the company said.
When making a purchase, local users will be able to choose whether to pay for services using the Google Play system or a third-party method. However, the company warned that alternative payment systems may be less secure.
In her post, Google also noted that when choosing a third-party payment method, the store’s commission will decrease by 4%. This is necessary to compensate for the costs necessary for developers to implement alternative payment systems.
According to Google, now 99% of Android developers already pay the company a reduced commission of 15%. It is relevant for the first million dollars of revenue, as well as for applications with subscriptions. According to the new rules, developers from South Korea will be able to count on a commission reduction of up to 11% when introducing third-party payment methods into their applications.
Recall that the changes in Google Play are related to an amendment to the South Korean law on telecommunications business. It came into force on September 15 and was designed to prohibit large operators from dictating their own payment systems to developers. Unlike Google, Apple has not yet responded to the demands of the South Korean authorities.