Google to Pay $90 Million to Settle Legal Dispute with Android Developers

The app developers accused Google of restricting in-app payment options through agreements with smartphone makers and technical barriers. Developers were losing out on some revenue because they were forced to use Google Play's payment system, which has a 30% commission.

Google said it would direct $90 million to a fund to support app developers who earned $2 million or less in annual revenue between 2016 and 2021 in order to settle the dispute.

"A vast majority of U.S. developers who earned revenue through Google Play will be eligible to receive money from this fund, if they choose," Google said in the blog post.

The company also said that it will only charge a 15% commission annually to developers who earn their first million dollars in apps through Google Pay. The company went ahead with such measures back in 2021

According to Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, which represented the plaintiffs, 48,000 app developers can claim $90 million and the minimum payout is $250.