Google Removes moves Info Edge’s Naukri, 99acres, and More Apps from Play Store
Google Removes moves Info Edge's Naukri, 99acres, and More Apps from Play Store
In a surprising move, Google has taken down several apps owned by Info Edge, including popular platforms like Naukri, 99acres, and Shiksha, from the Google Play Store for alleged violations of the app billing policy.
This action is part of Google’s recent efforts to enforce its billing policy for Indian app developers. Info Edge has confirmed the removal of five of its apps, expressing surprise at the lack of prior notice from Google. The company, currently reviewing the situation, is working with Google to ensure the swift reinstatement of its mobile applications on the Play Store.
Info Edge Founder, Sanjeev Bikchandani, asserts that the company has been compliant with Google’s app policies since February 9, in accordance with a Supreme Court interim order. Despite timely payment of all dues to Google, the apps were unexpectedly delisted.
“Indian companies will comply – for now. But what India needs is an App Store/ Play Store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure – like UPI and ONDC. The response needs to be strategic,” he said in a post on X tagging Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his office.
This development aligns with Google’s broader initiative to remove apps from Indian developers that have not adhered to its billing policy for an extended period.
However, Info Edge clarified that users who already have its mobile apps downloaded on their mobile devices can continue to use the same. In addition, all users who are using the apps through other platforms (such as Apple App Store) or through the web platforms concerned (on both mobile and desktop), are not impacted by this change.
Other notable apps taken down in this crackdown include matrimony platforms Matrimony and Shaadi.com, streaming services Altt, Stage, and Aha, as well as dating apps Truly Madly and Quack Quack, among others. Google has defended its actions, emphasizing the need for a level playing field among developers, stating that over 200,000 Indian developers on Google Play comply with its policies.
In response to the delisting, app developers have approached the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court order dismissing their plea challenging Google’s enforcement of its billing policy. Google, in a blog post, outlined the reasons behind its actions and offered developers avenues to resubmit their apps, emphasizing the importance of compliance with its policies to maintain a fair and competitive ecosystem.
