Google is giving app developers one year to implement its in-app Google Play billing system. The announcement aims to clarify its position, as several app publishers challenge the rules implemented by Google and Apple on their respective app stores.
Google restrictions for Android Developers
Until 31st of September 2021, Google is giving all Android app developers to adopt its internal billing system for apps that have been distributed on the Google Play store. The company also says that the same rules will be applied to its own apps.
The aim of this move is to prevent a small share of popular apps, that includes Netflix, Spotify, and Epic, from bypassing in-app billing of Google play store and theGoogle has levied 30% tax on those transactions. As Google explains in a blog post, “Developers who distribute their apps on Google Play have always been required to use this billing system, if they offer in-app purchases of digital goods, such as subscriptions. Moreover, the company says that its new policy applies to less than 3% of developers with apps on Google Play. Google explains that "We have clarified the language of our payment policy to be more explicit, that all developers who sell digital goods in their apps are required to use the Google Play billing system.” The updated inbound payments policy requires developers to use Google Play's billing system if they charge for apps and downloads.

The apps distributed on Google Play Store must also use Google's billing system, if they charge for features or services, including any additional app functionality, digital content, or goods.
These items include all subscription services, virtual currencies, additional features of a game, ad-free versions of an app, as well as software and cloud services.

But Google insists that this new app will not affect most developers with apps on the Play Store and that affected developers have one year to integrate with Google's billing system. “Less than 3% of developers offering apps on the Play Store have sold digital goods in the past 12 months, and instead of that 3%, the vast majority (almost 97%) already uses Google Play billing,” Google notes. "But for those who already have an app on Google Play that requires a technical effort to integrate our billing system, we don't want to disrupt their roadmaps and are giving one year (until September 30, 2021) to complete the updates."

Google is also planning changes in Android 12, which is slated for release next year. To make it easier for Android users, to choose another app store instead of Google Play. This should help address scenarios such as Apple and Google blocking Epic Games from their respective app stores. Apple and Google removed Epic's Fortnite app from their stores in August.

‘This openness means that even if a developer and Google don't agree on the terms of trade, the developer can still distribute apps on the Android platform. That's why Fortnite is available directly in Epic's store or in other app stores, such as Samsung's Galaxy App store.’ Google notes. Google adds that its own apps that do not currently use the Google Play billing system will also have to follow this rule.

Finally, Google stresses that it will not ban streaming game applications such as Microsoft's xCloud service, which Apple has banned from the App Store and iOS as well as from Google's Stadia. Google also doesn't prevent developers from communicating with customers outside of an app.