On November 4, Google announced that it would allow the use of alternative systems other than Google Play for the billing system within the Android app in Korea. This is in response to the passage of a bill prohibiting the use of its own payment system in Korea in September.
Through this response, developers can use payment systems other than Google Play for domestic users. It should also be noted that if Google uses an alternative payment system, it may not provide the same protections or options as Google Play, such as parental controls, family payments, and subscription management. In Korea, more than 1.5 million users use Google Play gift cards, more than 12 million people are registered with Google Play points, and more than 20 billion points are accumulated in the account. Google is appealing the superiority of Google Play by saying that the charging ecosystem is highly valued.
What are the fees Google collects? Fees continue to be collected even when using an alternative billing system. Although it is necessary to maintain the Android and Google Play ecosystems, there are cases where the collection fee is reduced by 4% when using an alternative billing system. For example, most developers collect a 15% fee, but with an alternative billing system it is 11%. More details on the alternative billing system will be provided in the coming weeks or months. Related information can be found here.
Meanwhile, on November 3 (local time), Google announced that it would release a new search option in Google Drive as a beta version. As a feature for Google Workspace, a user application to participate in the beta test is required.
A new search option, similar to the Gmail search feature, displays a list box below the search, allowing you to narrow it down by selecting from a list by file type, update date, author, and more. With Google Drive, you can do similar filtering from the details icon located to the right of the search bar, but the actions you can select from the list are easy to understand, making searching simple. The beta version is available by subscription, but will be available to Google Workspace users when released. Related information can be found here.