Paytm has been removed from the Play Store by Google. The app still remains functional on Android phones. Paytm as a platform can still be used from iPhones and PCs. In a rather surprising move, Google has taken down the app for the popular financial services platform, Paytm from its Play Store.
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Paytm has played its big move in the battle against Google’s Play Store with the launch of its Android Mini App Store for Indian developers. These mini-apps will not be full-fledged apps per se but rather be web apps that are basically websites that act like native apps. Paytm claims that these apps will also help users save their data and memory.
In-app payment options include Paytm Wallet, Paytm Payments Bank, and UPI at a zero per cent fee which gives new software developers an added incentive. However, there is a 2 per cent charge (plus GST) levied by the company when payment is made using a credit card, debit card and net banking.
Paytm’s big move can be in retortion of Paytm’s temporary removal from Google Play Store citing its violation of gambling policies. Other apps like Zomato and Swiggy were also not happy with Google’s new guidelines as they paused their sports-based cashback which was popular especially during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.
Paytm founder & CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, “I am proud that we are today launching something that creates an opportunity for every Indian app developer. Paytm Mini App Store empowers our young Indian developers to leverage our reach and payments to build new innovative services. For Paytm users, it will be a seamless experience that doesn’t require any separate download and enables them to use their preferred payment option.”
The move has the potential of being welcomed by many Indian developers. Also, it falls under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission drive as the digital spending of the consumers is in India only. In order to lure small startups, Paytm has said that mini-apps can be set up using HTML and javascript. The company also claims two developers can complete the integration of the web app within just two weeks.
Sep 18, 2020 Update: Hours after removal from Play Store by Google, Paytm has been restored for downloads on the Android platform. “While it is clear that all activities on Paytm are completely lawful, we have temporarily removed the cashback component in an effort to meet the Play Store policy requirements,” said a Paytm blog post while announcing the app’s return.
This may turn out to be a big boon for local businesses as they don’t want to spend big on apps and clearly don’t want to give Google a 30 per cent cut on their in-app purchases. At the time of the launch, there are 300 mini-apps on the Paytm mini app store already. The list of these apps includes big names like Domino’s, NetMeds, Decathlon, Ola, Rapido, etc.
Paytm is also holding a developer conference on October 8 to make them understand better how the Google Play Store alternative works. So far, the California tech giant enjoyed a monopoly in the Indian app market as most of the smartphone users have Android-powered smartphones. It will be interesting to see how Google reacts to Paytm’s bold move.
Also, Google wrote in its blog published today said, “Listening carefully to developer and user feedback is integral to how we continue to make Android better with each release, and improve how the Play Store works.”
The Californian tech giant has also extended the timeline (March 31, 2022) by which Indian developers can integrate their apps with the Play Billing system and “implement the UPI for subscription payment option that will be made available on Google Play”.
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Paytm through its official Twitter handle confirmed that they are back on Google Play Store
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Hours after being taken down by Google from Play Store, the search engine giant has restored Paytm on Play Store. Paytm's founder - Vijay Shekhar Sharma through a tweet announced that the app is live on Google Play Store and was taken down because they launched a UPI cashback campaign.
Google on Friday took down one of the most used online payment apps Paytm from the Google Play Store. This meant, android smartphone users were not able to download or install the app for the time being. Google has also taken down PaytmFirstGames from the app store. The company has recently roped in Sachin Tendulkar as its ambassador.
Paytm In Google Play Store Login
Other Paytm apps such as Paytm For Business, Paytm Money and Paytm Mall are still available on the Play Store.
Paytm through its official Twitter handle had earlier said that the app will be back very soon.
“All your money is completely safe, and you can continue to enjoy your Paytm app as normal,” the company tweeted.
In a blog the company wrote: 'We recently launched the ‘Paytm Cricket League’ on our consumer app for users to engage in their passion of cricket and get cashback. The game allows users to get player stickers after each transaction, collect them and receive Paytm Cashback.
Today afternoon, we received communication from Google that they are suspending our app because they believe this to be a violation of their Play Store policies on gambling. The Paytm Android app has thus been unlisted from Google’s Play Store and is temporarily unavailable to users for new downloads or updates.'
The company had said that it has temporarily removed the cashback component in an effort to meet the Play Store policy requirements.
Meanwhile, Google’s vice-president of product, Android security and privacy, Suzanne Frey in a blog dated September 18 wrote: “We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies.”
She further wrote that if an app violates their security policies then Google notifies the developer team and then removes the app from Google Play Store until the developer brings the app into compliances.
Paytm Download Google Play Store
She said that if an app repeatedly violates Google’s policy, then Google can take serious action which may include terminating Google Play Developer accounts.
The blog did not, however, named Paytm.
Paytm In Google Play Store Download
According to reports, Google has dropped more apps from the Play Store. Akash Karmakar, partner, Law Offices of Panag & Babu said, 'While PayTM did not directly engage in, or promote sports betting or gambling, it did have links to third-party sites which did. The ease of using PayTM on these third-party apps may have been viewed by Google as the element which makes PayTM as supporting these sites. Google appears to have taken an ethical stand against apps which promote or even advertise unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. Since many other apps are also promoting betting and gambling websites through ads and pop-ups, if Google applies the same standard, I would expect more apps will get taken off the Play Store.'