Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

The long-running Google vs Epic Games dispute has finally come to an end, with Google today announcing new changes to Android that include better support for third-party app stores and changes to Google Play.

Detailed in a blog post as well as by Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat on Twitter/X, Google is making three major changes to Android, how app stores are supported, and the impact of fees on the Play Store.

Firstly, Google emphasizes changes to billing choice, with Android developers able to use Google Play billing alongside their own billing systems, including linking to their external websites. Google says:

"Google Play is giving developers even more billing choice and freedom in how they handle transactions. Mobile developers will have the option to use their own billing systems in their app alongside Google Play's billing, or they can guide users outside of their app to their own websites for purchases. Our goal is to offer this flexibility in a way that maximizes choice and safety for users."

In a bigger reveal, Google is showing how it plans to expand support for third-party app stores in Android going forward. Specifically, Google is rolling out a program for "sideloading qualified app stores." A new installation flow will show if a third-party app store has been registered "with Android" while also showing what the store will be capable of and linking to relevant terms of service, privacy policies, and customer support.

Read more -here-

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