Google Play Store aftermath: PhonePe pushes its own Appstore to woo customers

Indus Appstore, PhonePe's made-in-India rival for Google Play Store, runs paid advertisements on X (formerly Twitter) amidst the ongoing delisting of Indian apps on Google Play Store including Shaadi, Bharat Matrimony, Kuku FM, and TrulyMadly.

Walmart Inc owned PhonePe launched a competitor for Google Play Store and Apple App Store on February 21, 2024. Indus Appstore is an android-based mobile app store built for Indian consumers, currently available for download on the company’s website. Users can manually install the app on their smartphones with a mobile number-based login system.

The app includes prominent companies like Dream11, Shaadi.com, DigiLocker, Blinkit, Jio Cinema, Bharat Matrimony, Kuku FM and Upstox.

The launch coincides with a persistent conflict between Google and leading startups and internet companies in the country regarding Google's Play Store policies and commission fees.

According to a press statement by PhonePe, Indus is ‘a game-changer in India’s digital journey’. The app enables Indian consumers to access a vast selection of over 200,000 mobile apps and games spanning 45 categories.

The app listings will be free for the initial year, after which a modest annual fee will be applicable. Additionally, Indus will refrain from imposing any platform fees or commissions on developers for in-app payments.

Speaking of the launch, Akash Dongre, CPO and co-founder, Indus Appstore, added, “Indus Appstore hopes to provide app developers a credible alternative to the Google Playstore– one that is more localised and offers better app discovery and consumer engagement. We are excited to open up the Indus Appstore Developer Platform, and invite all developers to list their app on the Made-in-India app store.”