PhonePe in talks with smartphone brands for Indus Appstore integration
Walmart-owned digital payments platform PhonePe is reportedly in advanced discussions with two major smartphone manufacturers, aiming to pre-install its Indus Appstore on their devices. This strategic move is expected to expand the user base of this homegrown alternative to Google Play Store to 150 million by the end of 2024, according to Akash Dongre, co-founder of Indus Appstore.
Indus Appstore's significant user base in tier-2 cities
The Indus Appstore has already surpassed two million downloads, with a significant 45% of its users hailing from tier-2 cities. The platform hosts more than 250,000 apps across various categories such as finance, games, social media, entertainment, and shopping. Earlier this year, PhonePe launched its own Android-based mobile app store, featuring apps from Blinkit, Zepto, MakeMyTrip, Paytm, and gaming majors like Dream11 and Nazara Technologies.
Indus Appstore's developer-friendly policies and features
Indus Appstore offers zero listing fees for the first year and does not charge any platform fees for in-app transactions. Dongre stated that developers have the option to integrate any payment gateway instead of paying up to 30% commission charges by leading app stores such as Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. PhonePe's appstore supports 12 Indian languages and includes voice and regional search capabilities. It also features video-led discovery.
