To Counter Duopoly Of Apple And Google App Stores, Indian Entrepreneurs Bat For Local Platform To Host Apps

Indian entrepreneurs are joining hands to counter the duopoly of Apple and Google play stores and are also planning to launch a local platform to host apps.

A group of leading Indian technology entrepreneurs on Tuesday (29 September) held a meeting to discuss ways to establish a large-scale platform to host local apps and break the duopoly of Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store, reports Economic Times.

In the meeting, the entrepreneurs including Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Policybazaar's Yashish Dahiya and Matrimony.com's Murugavel Janakiraman also deliberated on a national-level lobby group to represent their interests, ET quoted sources privy to the development as saying.

The group also plans to approach the country's banking regulator as well as the finance ministry seeking redressal for Google's recent move to increase commission on purchases made on its app store.

The development comes after Google had earlier last month removed Paytm from its Play Store for allegedly violating its gambling policies. The app was later restored.

The US-based tech giant on Tuesday had also reiterated its policy under which it will deduct 30 per cent commission for all in-app purchases for digital goods.

According to the report, one of the entrepreneurs, Janakiraman, proposed that India should have app neutrality on the line of net neutrality. He added that over 80 per cent of those accessing the internet in India do so through digital applications and "it can't be completely controlled by Google since they own the Play Store."

He further said that a body monitored by the government can ensure app neutrality, fairness and openness.

Another entrepreneur Vishwas Patel, who is the founder of payment gateway CCAvenue, said the government has to certainly step in and take the lead on the matter.

The group will reportedly approach the Electronics and IT Ministry to put the case for an Indian app store. It will also approach the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for other related grievances.