Indian's biggest mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm launched its mini-app store for Indian developers today. Paytm is hosting links to progressive Web Apps (PWAs) which are light apps that can run within a Web browser without requiring any installation. This provides users with an app-like experience without having to download them. This move will boost Indian developers in taking their products to the masses.
Paytm's big move is being encouraged by other Indian founders as Google Play store has made it compulsory to use the play store's billing system for in-app purchases, thus giving google a direct 30 percent commission. Other major apps such as Swiggy and Zomato were also unhappy as Google stoped their popular sports-based cashback, which brings a good amount of customer engagement and profit, especially during the Indian Premier League(IPL) session. Google’s removal of Paytm from the Play store last month citing violation of gambling policies also proved as a catalyst for the mini-app launch.
According to Paytm, it will provide listing and distribution of these mini-apps within its app without any charges. For payments, developers will be able to give a choice of Paytm Wallet, Paytm Payments Bank, UPI, net-banking, and Cards to their users. Paytm has designed the digital infrastructure to facilitate small developers and businesses to establish low-cost, quick-to-build mini-apps that can be developed using HTML and JavaScript technologies.
Paytm's Mini Aap can prove to be a blessing for local developers who don't want to give a significant chunk of their revenue to the Play store. It will also help to decrease the dominance of Google play store while simultaneously promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat's ideology. At the time of launch, more than 300 app-based service providers such as Decathalon, Ola, Park+, Rapido, Netmeds, 1MG, Domino's Pizza, FreshMenu, NoBroker have already joined the initiative.