Google does not want to lose the trust of its users in apps from the Play Store, so the company has now introduced a new policy for app developers with subscriptions. The new policy will be effective April 16, 2020 and is to be implemented within the next 60 days for apps already published.
Android users should get a better overview of subscriptions. Developers must therefore refrain from misleading practices and should ensure more transparency within the apps. A picture of how Google imagines this can be seen above.
Developers have to inform exactly which services and contents the subscriptions contain. Is a subscription necessary to use the app, or is it possible to use it with restrictions without a subscription? The terms of the offer must include the costs and the billing period. For a yearly subscription it is not enough to indicate the monthly costs, the total costs over the whole year must also be indicated. If you attract customers with a free trial period, it must be made clear that the subscription is subject to a charge and how they can cancel in time.
Google provides a subscription checklist for developers, which the apps must meet. If the guidelines are not met, the apps are threatened with expulsion from the Google Play Store.
But Google is also taking action. The Play Store now offers a better overview of current subscriptions. Play Store users will now receive an email before renewing a subscription so they can cancel it if necessary. This is also the case before the transition from a free test phase to a paid subscription. If a subscription app is uninstalled but the subscription is still running, you will also receive a message informing you that the subscription is still active and must be cancelled.
