PhonePe Launches Indus Appstore
In a bid to reshape India's digital ecosystem, PhonePe has unveiled the Indus Appstore, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at bolstering app discovery and fostering competition in the mobile app marketplace. The announcement, made during a grand event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, signifies a significant milestone in India's digital journey, drawing attention from startup founders and tech industry leaders alike.
Indus Appstore, a native Android-based mobile app store, stands out for its localisation efforts, offering app discovery in 12 Indian languages. With over 2 lakh mobile apps and games spanning 45 categories, the platform promises to cater to the diverse language preferences of Indian users, covering up to 95% of the population.
One of the most striking features of the Indus Appstore is its consumer-oriented approach, highlighted by a novel short-video-based discovery feature, aimed at making app exploration more engaging and accessible to users across the country.
Developers, too, stand to benefit significantly from the launch of the Indus Appstore. In a move that underlines PhonePe's commitment to fostering a competitive and inclusive digital ecosystem, developers can list their apps on the platform free of charge until April 1st, 2025. Furthermore, developers have the liberty to integrate any 3rd-party payment gateway of their choice for in-app billing without incurring any commission charges.
Free Listings and Zero Commission: Developers can list their apps for free initially, with no platform fees or commission on in-app payments.
Localised Experience: The app store offers a localised experience in 12 languages, catering specifically to Indian consumers.
Launch Pad for New Developers: A dedicated section called "Launch Pad" will provide better visibility and search optimisation for new app launches.
Support and Tools: Indus Appstore offers mobile number-based login, India-based customer support, cohort-based release management, real-time analytics, and AI-powered monitoring for app performance.
Developer Assistance: The platform provides self-publishing tools, localisation services, and 24x7 customer support for developers.
PhonePe, India's largest payments app, aims to facilitate digital inclusion for consumers and merchants, with over 485 million registered users and coverage of 99% of postal codes in India.
The launch of the Indus Appstore comes at a crucial juncture, echoing the growing demand within India's startup ecosystem for increased competition in the mobile app store space. Sameer Nigam, CEO and Founder of PhonePe, expressed his vision for the Indus Appstore, emphasising its role in creating a more democratic and vibrant digital landscape in India.
With its official availability for download, the Indus Appstore aims to provide Indian consumers with a localised, contextual, and personalised app experience while offering developers a fair and level playing field to showcase and promote their products within the Indian app ecosystem.
PhonePe, India's leading fintech company, continues to spearhead innovation in the digital payments realm, with the Indus Appstore marking yet another significant stride towards realising its vision of offering every Indian an equal opportunity to thrive in the digital age.
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