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JOE DAVIS: Welcome to Google Play PolicyBytes.
I'm Joe Davis, the Google Play Policy Education Lead.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I hope you're staying safe and healthy.
We've always required developers to use
Google Play Billing for in-app purchases of digital goods.
We've updated the policy to make it easier to understand
and more equitable for all developers.
It's important for platform trust
that consumers have safe, reliable payments that they can
manage from a central location.
Having a safe, easy, and reliable payment system
is core to the success of a thriving marketplace.
Google Play has a business model and billing policy
that allows us to invest in our platform and tools
to help developers build successful businesses
while keeping users safe.
Our service fee is often compared to a transaction fee.
The reality is our service fee is
core to powering this entire ecosystem, including
the building of Android and its developer tools.
Google Play Billing is required if you
want to offer digital in-app purchases.
Let's look at some examples of purchases requiring
the use of Play Billing.
These include purchases of items such as virtual currencies,
extra lives, and additional playtime,
or add-on characters or items and avatars,
or subscription services such as fitness games, dating,
education, music, video, and other content subscription
services.
App functionality or content, such as an ad-free version
of an app or a new feature that's
not available in the free version,
and cloud software and services such as data storage services,
business productivity software, and financial management
software.
Google Play Billing must not be used when payment is primarily
for the purchase or rental of physical goods
such as groceries, clothing, housewares, and electronics,
for the purchase of physical services such as transportation
services, cleaning services, airfare, gym memberships, food
delivery, tickets for live events, or remittance
in respect of a credit card bill or utility
bill such as a cable or telecommunication services.
Note, in some markets, we offer Google Pay for apps
selling physical goods and/or services.
For more information, please visit our Google Pay Developer
page.
Payments include peer-to-peer payments, online auctions,
and tax-exempt donations.
Payment is for the content of services
that facilitate online gambling as described in the Gambling
Apps section of the Real-Money Gambling, Games, and Contests
policy, or payment is in respect of any product category deemed
unacceptable under the Google Payments Center Content
Policies.
Apps may not lead users to a payment
method other than Play's billing system.
This prohibition includes but is not
limited to leading users to other payment methods
via an in-app listing in Google Play,
in-app promotions related to purchasable content, in-app web
views, buttons, links, messaging, or advertisements
or any other call to action, in-app userface flows,
including account creation or sign-up flows that lead users
from an app to any other payment method other than Google Play
Billing as part of that sign-up flow.
In this example, you'll notice a screenshot of the App Store
listing on Google Play.
It contains language and a link that leads users
to another payment method.
This is not allowed.
Here's an example of a user flow leading to an alternate form
of payment.
It's prohibited for an in-app user interface flow,
including the account creation or sign-up flows,
to lead a user from an app to a payment
method other than the Google Play Billing system.
If the user is an existing customer,
and they log into your app on Google Play using
their existing account, they can access their in-app content
that they have acquired from another platform.
However, all purchases made within the app
should use Google Play Billing as a method of payment.
And, of course, you can still run off-store promotions
for existing customers.
If you do not use Play's billing system,
you can still use email marketing and other channels
outside the app to promote offers and subscriptions
to your customers using an alternate form of payment.
We clarified the policy that requires
all developers to use Google Play Billing system
for digital in-app purchases.
Platform billing policies have been in the news recently.
So we wanted to address some developer questions
and feedback we've been getting and provide you
with additional details about how our approach differs
from others.
Will Google require its own apps to comply with this billing
policy?
Yes.
We will require all apps on Google Play
to comply with this Play Billing policy.
This includes Google's own apps, which
must use Play's billing system and are
subject to the same service fee.
Can I communicate with my users about alternate ways to pay?
Yes.
They are your users.
We continue to allow you to communicate with your users
about alternate purchase options outside of the app.
You can use email marketing and other channels
to provide subscription offers or even special pricing.
Can I communicate with my users about promotions
on other platforms?
Of course.
We're an app developer, too.
And we know how important it is to not restrict
your ability to communicate with your users.
You can email them information about your offerings
even if they are different on Google Play
than in other places.
Can I offer a consumption-only reader app on Play?
Yes.
Google Play allows any app to be consumption-only, even
if it's part of a paid service.
For example, a user could log in when the app opens,
and the user could access content
paid for somewhere else.
Can I have different app features, prices,
and experiences depending on the platform?
Yes.
It's your service and business, and it's up to you.
We don't require parity across platforms.
You can create different versions of your app
to support different platforms, features, and pricing models.
Does your billing policy change depending
on what category my app is in?
No.
Business or consumer apps and verticals like music or email
are all treated the same way on Google Play.
Can I offer my customers refunds directly?
Yes.
We understand the importance of maintaining that relationship
with your customers.
You can continue to issue refunds
to your customers and other customer support directly.
Are there alternatives to Play to distribute
my app to Android users?
Yes.
We've seen a lot of recent discussion
about the importance of choice.
Choice and openness has always been an important part
of Android's principles.
As an open ecosystem, Android provides developers
with the freedom and flexibility to distribute their apps
through other Android app stores, directly via websites,
or device-free loads, all without the use of Play
Billing.
In fact, the majority of Android devices
come preloaded with more than one app store right now.
Check out our Payments Policy Course
available and Play Academy.
It includes additional Q&As and examples.
Visit g.co/playacademy/policy.
Now, let's review the enforcement timeline.
This updated payments policy was announced on September, 2020.
All new apps must comply by this policy by January 20, 2021.
And all existing apps must bring their apps into compliance
by September 30, 2021.
Visit our Play Developer Policy Center and the Google Play
Academy's policy curriculum.
Also, subscribe to the Android developers YouTube channel.
We hope these materials help you better understand this update.
We appreciate your help ensuring Google Play remains
a safe, trusted source for apps and games.
So until next time, stay safe and healthy out there.
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