Google, 90 million dollars to close a class action in the US

Google announced that he had found a agreement with the “little ones” (i.e .: with revenues of less than 2 million dollars a year) US app developers to close one class action started a few years ago which concerns, for a change, Play Store fee rules where the apps themselves were distributed. Specifically, Google will set up (technically, it has yet to be approved by the court, but this last step should be a simple formality) a fund to 90 million dollars that interested developers can draw on.

According to the law firm following the case, the developers involved are almost 48,000; the minimum payout will be $ 250, while some may even receive $ 200,000. In addition, there will be some secondary initiatives such as:

• A new showcase dedicated to apps from small startups or independent single developers;
• A rewrite of the Play Store’s Developer Distribution Agreement (DDA) that explains more clearly that developers can contact users to notify them of the existence of alternative and external payment systems to the Play Store.

Well for developers, in short, but the problem is that the rules on commissions remain the same. However, it is true that it now seems only a matter of time – several governments, especially the US and the European Union, are working to force the hand of Google (and Apple, of course) by offering more advantageous and honest conditions. Speaking of Apple: it is interesting to note that last summer he negotiated a class action, always brought by the same law firm in very similar ways, setting up a 100 million dollar fund.

We remind you that mobile app developers and store owners quarrel because for every app purchase, in-app purchase or subscription, the stores keep the 30% in commissions, and it is basically not possible to offer, in the same app, an alternative payment system that circumvents them. For example, you can purchase the renewal of the subscription on the official website of the app or service, but the app cannot include a link to it. Fees may be cut in half under certain circumstances, but they occur relatively infrequently.