Billing

Google detailed its propositions on billing for Android developers in the United Kingdom. The set of potential commitments includes lowering fees for app distribution and in-app purchases and introducing an alternative in-app billing system, presented in a neutral manner. The proposals are part of the UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA) investigation of whether Google infringed competition law by making app developers use only Google Play Billing (GPB). The changes for British developers are similar to what…

Britain's competition regulator said proposals from Alphabet's Google to give app developers the freedom to break away from Google Play's billing system looked to be sufficient to address its concerns about in-app payments.Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in June that Google's complete control over in-app payments unfairly restricted developers by forcing them to use Google Play's billing system, reducing competition and hurting users.The CMA said on Wednesday that Google's proposals would allow app…

A group of Indian startups has asked a court to suspend Alphabet Inc Google's new in-app billing fee system until the country's antitrust body investigates the U.S. firm for alleged non-compliance with its directives, a legal filing showed. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) last month asked India's antitrust regulator to investigate Google for devising a new system startups say still charges them a high service fee, despite an antitrust directive in October to allow use of third-party billing services for…

via Miramax It’s a crying shame that the only way in which 2005’s horror comedy Cursed lived up to its potential was by fully embracing its moniker and serving as the basis for one of the most notoriously cursed productions in modern Hollywood history. The genre-bending lycanthropic lark boasted a stacked array of talent on either side of the camera, a top-notch high concept, and an eager audience awaiting to see some brand new werewolf magic. In the end, though, the grubby fingerprints of Harvey Weinstein ended…

Last year the Competition Commission of India (CCI) slapped Google with a fine for restricting third-party payment services and was investigating the company for other anti-competitive behavior too. After Google's recent plea to the Supreme Court to block CCI’s orders was rejected, the company has to change its agreements with phone makers and loosen the rules for users. Starting next month Android users in India will be able to use third-party billing services for apps and games. They will also be able to choose a…

Getting Netflix on Sky Q, Sky Glass TV or Sky Stream is relatively simple and you’ll get full interface integration meaning you can browse Sky and Netflix content together, as well as use Sky search to find things to watch. Not only does it mean your Sky and Netflix billing are neatly tied together, but you’ll also save money compared to paying for them separately.  How much does Netflix cost on Sky Q? At the time of writing, you’ll need to pay £26 per month (pm) for Sky TV with Netflix included. It’s called…

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. Global app spending reached $65 billion in the first half of 2022, up only slightly from the $64.4 billion during the same period in 2021, as hypergrowth fueled by the pandemic has slowed down. But overall, the app economy is continuing to grow, having produced a record number of downloads and consumer spending across both the iOS and Google Play stores combined in…

Image Source : PIXABAY Spotify Spotify, Music streaming platforms and Google have started testing the 'User Choice Billing' (UCB) pilot programme to offer alternative in-app purchase experiences on Android devices. The pilot programme will allow the users to subscribe and make purchases by using the payment option of their choice, Spotify said in a blog post. The…

Spotify has started testing User Choice Billing in its Android app. It gives users the freedom to make in-app purchases using the payment service of their choice. Earlier, users were forced to use the Google Play in-app billing system on Android.For years, Google required Android developers to only offer its Play billing system in apps and take a cut from all transactions. The company didn’t allow developers to incle their own or any third-party payment services. Apple does the same with iOS apps. There has been strong…

Google's pilot for Play Store billing alternatives is finally coming Stateside. The company is expanding its "user choice billing" test to the US, Brazil and South Africa. As before, you'll be asked to choose either Google's in-app purchasing system or something else (such as the developer's) when you buy in-app content. There are more apps involved in the test, too. On top of Spotify, which started rolling out an early implementation of billing choices this week, Bumble is now set to participate. The dating app will…