A new era for choice and openness

Android is driving innovation in the industry through its unique flexibility and openness, and the company is announcing substantial updates to its business model to build on this history of openness globally. The updates include more billing options, a program for registered app stores, and lower fees and new programs for developers. Google Play is giving developers the option to use their own billing systems in their app or guide users outside of their app to their own websites for purchases. The company is introducing a Registered App Stores program that makes sideloading qualified app stores easier and provides a more streamlined installation flow for Android app stores that meet certain quality and safety benchmarks. This program will begin outside of the US first and will be brought to the US subject to court approval. Google Play's fees are already the lowest among major app stores, and the company is introducing a new business model that decouples fees for using its billing system and introduces new, lower service fees. The new fees will roll out on a staggered schedule, with the first rollout happening by June 30 in the EEA, UK, and US. The company is also launching an Apps Experience Program and revamping its Google Play Games Level Up program to incentivize building great software experiences across Android form factors. The updates are expected to make for a stronger Android ecosystem with even more successful developers and higher-quality apps and games available across more form factors for everyone. The company has also resolved its disputes worldwide with Epic Games, and it looks forward to continuing its work with the developer community to build the next generation of digital experiences.