PhonePe Launches Indus Appstore For ‘Made-In-India’ Apps

PhonePe acquired Indus OS in July 2022. Now they are ready to take on Google Play Store in India, by launching Indus Appstore, similar to Paytm Mini App Store.

PhonePe has launched the Indus Appstore Developer Platform, which invites Android app developers to register and upload their apps to the “Made-in-India” Indus appstore. The platform is designed to provide a localized experience in 12 languages specifically designed for Indian users.

Developers can list their apps on the Indus Appstore Developer Platform for free in the first year, with a small annual fee applying thereafter.

Importantly, there are no platform fees or commissions for In-App Payments, allowing developers to integrate their preferred payment gateways.

Akash Dongre, CPO and Co-Founder of Indus Appstore, noted the immense potential of the Indian smartphone market, which is expected to have over one billion users by 2026.

The platform aims to offer a credible alternative to Google Play Store by focusing on localization, improved app discovery, and enhanced consumer engagement.

PhonePe sees the Indus Appstore Developer Platform as an alternative distribution channel for Android developers looking to access the Indian market. It prioritizes multilingual app discovery to facilitate high-quality user acquisition.

The platform includes a “Launch Pad” feature designed to boost the visibility and search optimization of startups and new app launches.

Developers can take advantage of various tools and features such as 24/7 customer support, listing in 12 Indian languages, and brand-building through engaging videos.

Indus Appstore offers features such as mobile number-based login for users without email accounts, zero commission for In-App payments, zero listing fees for the first year, cohort-based targeted release management, real-time app vitals monitoring, analytics, and competitor analysis.

For developers, Indus Appstore provides a platform for listing, distributing, and promoting their products within the Indian app ecosystem, along with self-publishing options, localization services, and continuous 24/7 customer support.

Indus Appstore is a kind of upgraded part of Indus OS, which PhonePe acquired in July 2022 after a lengthy legal battle.

Indus OS is a regional language operating system used by over 100 million people, supporting over 23 Indian languages. Currently PhonePe has more than 400 million users in India.

Although PhonePe’s Indus Appstore may not be new for the country, Paytm had also launched India’s first indigenous app store on August 20, 2022, known as the Paytm Mini App Store.

Many Indians had high hopes for it, but it didn’t become very popular. The news media also didn’t talk much about it, and the government didn’t provide any support either.

Plus, I would say that perhaps Paytm made some mistakes as well. Paytm should have marketed its ‘Mini App Store’ more actively.

Apps like Ola, Rapido, Swiggy and many others came to the Mini App Store, but Paytm should have reached out to other or new app developers as well. Later, the app store can charge them a listing or monthly fee.

Also Read:- Google Expands Its AI Chatbot Bard To Compete With ChatGPT

It would have been better if Paytm had created a separate website or portal for this, but Paytm kept it within its existing app, which didn’t generate much excitement among people.

Many still don’t know about Paytm Mini App Store (Partner Apps) even today. Hopefully, PhonePe’s Indus Appstore won’t make the same mistakes!