Google’s Play Store is also under investigation by United Kingdom
The British competition authority is starting an investigation into apps that are in Google’s Play Store. The authority is doing roughly what ACM has also done with Apple’s App Store in the field of the payment system for dating apps. It mainly looks at the extent to which fair competition is possible if payment can only be made via Google’s payment system.
Investigating the Play Store
The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) wants to see whether it is fair for Google to charge a commission on payments processed by Google. Especially because that is often 15 percent of what the app yields and there is no other payment option. It is something that more government watchdogs are working on: our own ACM (Consumer & Market Authority) is also working on an investigation into Google’s payment system in its Play Store.
It is not easy to put your app in the app store. Not only does it have to be fully screened, it also costs a lot of commission to Google to put your app in that App Store. It used to be as high as 30 percent, but today it has dropped to 15 percent for many apps. Since Apple also works with the same kind of payment system, it is almost impossible for app makers to make their app successful outside those app stores.
dating apps
Apple has since yesterday adjusted its dating app policy in the Netherlands, so that dating apps can now offer other payment systems, but Apple does not agree with this. It believes that the privacy and data protection of iPhone users is now at stake. It will appeal, despite the fact that it had ‘good discussions’ with ACM and has now also done what ACM (and Dutch and European legislation) wanted.
Incidentally, the Dutch research into the Play Store was once again fueled by dating apps. Although Google says that the apps of specific Match Group (including Tinder, Match.com, Hinge, OKCupid) are eligible to have to pay “only” 15 percent. That won’t be something the ACM will agree to, however, as long as these dating apps continue to be forced to use the Google payment system.
In short, things are rumbling in the world of dating apps and not always in the fun way.
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