Google lets developers in India sell apps in Google Play, adds rupees to currency list

Google has announced that developers in India can begin selling Android apps in Google Play. Though paid Android apps have been available since 2009, sellers based in India have had to incorporate in another country or create foreign bank accounts in order to accept payments for their apps. Google now permits Indian developers to login to the Developer Console, setup a Google Checkout merchant account, and begin accepting payments. Existing apps can only be monetized through in-app payments or subscription services, but newly published apps can be sold for a one-time purchase price.

In addition to enabling seller support, Google has added Indian Rupees to the list of currencies that developers can target for pricing. The Google Play Store allows developers to set individual prices for different markets; so, rather than charge 2.99 GBP for an app and have the price fluctuate based on conversion rates at any given time, a developer can choose to sell the app for 250 INR.

Ibrahim Elbouchikhi, product manager on the Google Play team, says that Android activations in India have increased more than 400 percent in the past year. Considering that India has the world's second largest population and is rapidly adopting Android, the new app store options are long overdue.