Indus Appstore has unveiled its Developer Platform, a bold move aimed at inviting Android app developers to register and upload their creations to the soon-to-be-launched “Made-in-India” Indus Appstore. This platform will provide a localized experience in 12 languages tailored for Indian audiences.
What sets the Indus Appstore apart from the competition? First and foremost, it offers mobile number-based login, a user-friendly feature in a market where many consumers lack email accounts. Additionally, the platform takes a developer-friendly approach, with zero commissions for in-app payments and no listing fees for the first year.
In a direct challenge to Google’s policies, Indus Appstore aims to assist developers in tapping into the vast Indian Android market without charging a platform fee or commission for in-app payments. The platform also promises high-quality user acquisition through multilingual app discovery.
For startups and new app launches, Indus Appstore introduces a dedicated destination called “Launch Pad,” offering better visibility and search optimization. Developers will also benefit from round-the-clock customer support based in India, the option to list apps in 12 Indian languages, and opportunities to boost brand awareness through engaging videos.
Moreover, the platform provides AI-powered real-time monitoring of app performance during new version launches, ensuring a seamless user experience. Developers can access real-time analytics, industry insights, and competitor analysis to adopt best practices.
Indus Appstore promises intelligent and faster app updates to keep users up-to-date with the latest versions. All these features combined make it a compelling alternative distribution channel for Android developers, particularly at a time when Google’s policies have faced criticism from Indian businesses and startups.
Availability
As of now, PhonePe has launched a developer platform accessible to developers via indusappstore.com. The Indus App Store is expected to become available for public use soon. PhonePe is reported to have partnered with several phone manufacturers to expand the distribution of the app store for a wider reach.
Regarding the announcement, Akash Dongre, CPO & Co-Founder, Indus App Store said,
India is poised to have over 1 billion smartphone users by 2026 offering us a massive opportunity to build a new-age, localized Android app store. Despite being such a large consumer market, app developers have always been forced to work with only one app store – Google Playstore – for distributing their apps. Indus Appstore hopes to provide app developers a credible alternative to the Google Playstore – one that is more localized and offers better app discovery and consumer engagement. We are excited to open up the Indus Appstore Developer Platform today, and invite all developers to list their app on the Made-in-India app store.