Google Apps cheaper in South Africa
South Africans could be paying much less for their Android Apps purchased from the Google Play Store.
When an app developer uploads their apps to the Google Play store, they can set a price for the app. Free was the lowest option followed by the local currency equivalent of roughly $1.
This is no longer the case as Google understands the in developing countries, the seemingly cheap $1 is actually expensive. Therefore, Google has announced that it has looked at its minimum price threshold for its apps in various countries and has chosen 17 countries where this price could be dropped should the app developer choose to do so. “every market has its own unique challenges and opportunities. Purchasing behaviour, in particular, varies significantly between markets. So to provide developers with more flexibility, we’ve worked to adapt Google Play pricing options to better suit local consumers and make content more accessible.”
The minimum price that an app could be sold in South Africa was R10.00 however, now the developer can choose to set their price at R3.99.
Developers need to log into their Google Play Developer Console and click on “Pricing & Distribution” or “In-app Products” in their apps and change their price.
17 countries are on the list of minimum price thresholds change and they are:
- Brazil: R$ 0.99 (was R$2.00)
- Chile: CLP $200.00 (was CLP $500.00)
- Colombia: COP$ 800.00 (was COP$ 2000.00)
- Hungary: Ft 125.00 (was Ft 225.00)
- Indonesia: Rp 3,000.00 (was Rp 12,000.00)
- Malaysia: RM 1.00 (was RM 3.50)
- Mexico: MXN$ 5.00 (was MXN$ 9.90)
- Peru: S/. 0.99 (was S/. 3.00)
- Philippines: ₱15.00 (was ₱43.00)
- Poland: zł1.79 (was zł2.99)
- Russia: руб 15.00 (was руб 30.00)
- Saudi Arabia:﷼ 0.99 (was 4.00﷼)
- South Africa: R3.99 (was R10.00)
- Thailand: ฿10.00 (was ฿32.00)
- Turkey: ₺0.59 (was ₺2.00)
- Ukraine: ₴5.00 (was ₴8.00)
- Vietnam: ₫6,000 (was ₫21,000.00)
