How PhonePe is taking on the giants of the global app market with its revolutionary offering: Indus Appstore

India is poised to have over 1 billion smartphone users by 2026 offering us a massive opportunity to build a new-age, localised Android app store Despite being such a large and globally significant market, app developers who build for the Indian market are dependent on a single app store for all their distribution needs.

User behaviour in India varies significantly from one region to another. In the Indian app market, Google Play has traditionally held sway, claiming a substantial 97% market share, alongside Apple's App Store. While technology serves as an enabler, language holds the magic key to unlocking the hearts of Indian users and driving app adoption and scalability.

In a bold move to challenge the dominance of global tech giants such as Google and Apple in the mobile app market, PhonePe, has unveiled its latest offering, the Indus Appstore. Indus Appstore has emerged as India's solution to the demand for a genuinely localised app experience. It not only provides content in Indian languages; but also aims to deliver users a fully personalised, contextually relevant experience. 

At TechSparks 2023 Bengaluru edition, Sameer Nigam, Co-founder and CEO of PhonePe, introduced the company's most recent offering, the Indus Appstore, along with Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology.

Catering to India’s diverse population

India holds the distinction of being the world's largest Android market, but its diverse user behaviours and preferences pose a unique challenge. 

Around 20% of Indians still do not possess an email ID.

A staggering nine out of 10 Indian internet users prefer non-English languages.

India has 22 official languages, encompassing over 6,000 dialects and more than 55 languages with over a million speakers each.

Localised advertising campaigns, tailored to regional languages, have proven to be remarkably effective, with 86% higher click-through and conversion rates compared to their English counterparts.

The Indus Appstore Developer Platform is now open for developers to provide localised services tailored for Indian users. It offers developers a fair and equitable platform to thrive in the Indian app market.

PhonePe, which has achieved the decacorn status, has invited Android app developers to register and upload their apps on the Indus Appstore. These apps will be featured on the soon-to-be-launched ‘made in India’ app store, designed to cater to the new-age Indian smartphone user. 

Indus Appstore has promised zero% commission for all in-app purchases. In contrast, Google and Apple typically charge developers fees ranging from 15% to 25% for in-app purchases and additional charges for app sales.

What do users get out of the Indus Appstore? 

Indus Appstore is built to cater exclusively to the unique needs of Indian users. Offering a wide array of categories encompassing entertainment, education, finance, social media, and more, this app store ensures that it delivers the highest-quality apps that are contextually relevant to every user's interests.

The Indus Appstore addresses accessibility challenges by providing:

Hassle-free login: Say goodbye to the hassle of mandatory email sign-ins. Users can effortlessly log in with their phone number.

Localised experience: Users can freely explore, discover, and download apps in their preferred language, as the Indus Appstore is available in 12 Indian languages apart from English.

Personalised recommendations: Customised experiences to match user preferences and interests. By analysing user behaviour and preferences, the app store generates personalised app recommendations. 

Immersive user engagement: The app store employs rich media content such as app stories and videos to transform the app discovery process into an engaging and informative journey.

What do developers get out of the Indus Appstore? 

Distribution in Indian languages

1. Indus Appstore enables developers to reach Indian users in their preferred language and offers translation services to localize their apps in 12 Indian languages, thereby expanding their user base and fostering engagement.

Dedicated support

1. 24x7 assistance via e-mail, chatbot, and local customer care representatives

2. In-depth analytics with competitor benchmarking

3. Instant updates leveraging mobile data and device storage optimizing both user experience and device storage capacity

Zero commissions on in-app payments

1. The app store believes in a developer-centric approach and thus charges no commission on in-app purchases.

Maximised discovery

1. Developers can leverage the interactive app stories, app videos, and personalised touchpoints to enhance user engagement, drive app usage, and foster long-term loyalty.

2. The curated approach, personalised recommendations, and strategic placements ensure the apps reach the right audience at the right time.

The launch of the Indus Appstore marks a pivotal moment in the Indian app market. With its commitment to serving both users and developers, this app store promises to reshape the landscape of app discovery and accessibility, offering an exciting and promising future for the Indian digital ecosystem.

If you are a developer, to publish your app on Indus Appstore today,