Google allows third party app payments in South Korea - Mobile World Live

Google allows third party app payments in South Korea

04 NOV 2021
A sunset over Han River, Seoul, with a bridge spanning open water in the foreground and a cityscape lit by streetlights in the background.

Google changed its in-app payment policies in South Korea to allow developers to provide third party options within the country, complying with a law passed earlier this year.

In a statement Google senior director of public policy Wilson White announced the move alongside reiterating the benefit of having payments processed using its own system.

Under the new policy developers are able to add any third-party option, though this will have to be alongside the Google Play billing system. The purchaser then makes the final decision.

White noted the tech giant’s own system included features which may not be available elsewhere such as the availability of parental controls, subscription management and option to use its gift cards.

He added the fees levied from Google Play payments goes further than payment processing, covering a “range of distribution, development and security services.”

The company plans to provide further implementation details in the “coming weeks and months” including what White described as “instructions for submitting security and customer service verifications and a set of user experience guidelines so users can make an informed choice”.

Google’s move follows legislation passed during August in South Korea, which forces app store providers to open systems to third party payments, a policy slammed by both Apple and Google in the aftermath of its confirmation.

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Chris Donkin

Chris joined the Mobile World Live team in November 2016 having previously worked at a number of UK media outlets including Trinity Mirror, The Press Association and UK telecoms publication Mobile News. After spending 10 years in journalism, he moved...

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