Fee Reductions… Changes in App Ecosystem Competition Structure

Google is significantly reforming Android app ecosystem policies: allowing developers to use their own payment systems, simplifying third-party app store installation, and adjusting in-app payment fee structures. Google declared "a new Android era strengthening choice and openness." Key changes include: (1) Payment choice expansion — developers can use self-payment systems or external website payment pages in parallel; (2) Third-party app store accessibility — the Registered App Stores program simplifies installation for qualifying stores; (3) Fee restructuring — payment processing at ~5%, service fees at 20%/15%/20%/10% for different transaction types. Implementation proceeds by region: EEA/UK/US (June 30, 2026), Australia (September 30), Korea/Japan (December 31), other regions by September 2027. Google also disclosed resolution of its global dispute with Epic Games. The policy signals a structural shift in mobile platforms — from simple app distribution to "how open an ecosystem can be built."