Skip to main content

How Google’s $90M settlement could actually help small developers

Google has finally reached a settlement for a 2021 class-action antitrust lawsuit, resulting in the company owing $90 million to U.S.-based app developers. The suit alleged that the Google Play Store’s 30% cut for all in-app purchases was too high, especially since there aren’t great third-party app store options that devs can use to avoid the fees. Although Google decided in 2021 to half its cut of in-app purchases to 15% for the first $1 million made by a developer, it’s also offering a potentially big payout for those that were affected.

According to Google, any developers who “earned $2 million or less in annual revenue through Google Play during each year from 2016-2021” are eligible for reimbursement. Developers who meet the criteria for a payout will be contacted by Google. According to Hagens Berman, the law firm responsible for representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, some developers could make as much as $200,000.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G facing front in hand.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Based on the payout criteria set by Google, it looks like a lot of app developers are going to be getting a slice of the $90 million fund. While the minimum payout for devs is $250, it’s been estimated by Hagens Berman that 99% of affected Android app developers fit the “$2 million or less” requirements needed to get some of Google’s money. The fees are still high and Google doesn’t have the best track record with supporting Android developers, but the fund is able to at least help devs reclaim some of what was lost over the past five years.

Recommended Videos

To its credit, cash payouts aren’t the only thing Google is doing to help its third-party app developers. The Google Play Store will now feature a tab called the “Indie Apps Corner,” which will “showcase independent and small startup developers building unique high-quality apps.” It’s unclear exactly how helpful the tab will be, but hopefully, it’s able to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming independent apps that might have otherwise been lost in the weeds. Google’s also committed to prolonging the reduced 15% fee until at least May 2025.

Google’s lawsuit and change in policy come directly on the heels of similar lawsuits focused on Apple. Yesterday, Apple announced that it will be allowing in-app third-party payment systems in South Korea — but only after making developers jump through numerous hoops and still pay a 26% fee to Apple (a partly reduction from the usual 30% rate).

Seeing how these lawsuits have resulted in policy changes across the biggest names in app stores, it seems like we’re at something of a tipping point when it comes to the way that Google and Apple have controlled their ecosystems. It’s unclear what’s on the horizon for the future of app distribution, but with how quickly things have moved since Epic Games’ fight against Apple, it would seem like we’ll know soon enough.

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
A native Android Apple TV app is now in the Google Play store
The Apple TV app on a Samsung Android phone.

It's been five years since the Apple TV app was launched, and we're now getting a version for Android devices -- built from the ground up for native Android integration -- in the Google Play store that will have the same Apple TV+ functionality as the Apple ecosystem version. The new app means users with Android OS 10 or later will finally have the ability to sign up for Apple TV+ on their Android-based phones and tablets to watch shows and movies like Severance, Silo, Killers of the Flower Moon, and CODA. There will be no difference in pricing on Android compared to Apple.

This should enable seamless interactivity across platforms for features such as Continue Watching -- which keeps track of where you are in a show or movie and allows you to pick up from that spot when you return, regardless of the device you watch on. Customer's Watchlist will be kept up to date across devices as well, and since purchases are linked to your Apple account, all the content you own will be accessible on any device with the new updated app. One thing missing at launch, though, will be the ability to cast Apple TV content from your Android device.

Read more
This new Google badge helps navigate untrustworthy VPNs
Google Play Store on the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G.

There are a lot of VPNs to pick from in the Google Play Store, but not all are trustworthy. Rather than risking your data, now you can tell at a glance which VPNs Google recommends with its new verification badge. The badge can be found right underneath the name of the app and looks like a shield with a checkmark, along with the word Verified below it.

To qualify for this badge, apps must comply with Google Play's Safety and Security Guidelines and earn a Mobile Application Security Assessment Level 2, otherwise known as a MASA. You might have noticed these badges before, and that's because this isn't the first time the Google Play Store has added them. There's a unique badge for identifying government apps, too.

Read more
The Fitbit app needs work — here’s how Google could fix it
A demonstration of the new running features for the Google Pixel Watch 3 in the Fitbit app.

It’s been 14 years since Fitbit launched to market and kickstarted a journey that would lead to over 120 million users. That journey hit new heights four years ago when Google acquired the company for $2.1 billion, but it took almost three years for the Fitbit magic to spread to Google’s hardware lineup.

The result is the Pixel Watch 3, launched alongside the Pixel 9 series last year. It’s one of my favorite health devices from last year and it deserves its position on the best smartwatch list as it has the best heart rate monitoring of any smartwatch made by a phone maker.

Read more