Xiaomi, one of the largest smartphone vendor in India, is planning to make a big switch by closing down its GetApps Store in India. Starting January 2025, GetApps Store will be substituted by Indus App Store of PhonePe. This follows years of criticism over GetApps being cluttered with intrusive ads, bloatware in the system, and annoying notifications.
Why Is Xiaomi Shutting Down GetApps in India?
The GetApps Store has endured constant criticism from users over their aggressive advertisement policies and lack of uninstallation option from Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco Android smartphones. Being a native app store for Xiaomi's MIUI series, the store did not have a positive image, and the switch to the Indus App Store speaks volumes about strategic efforts being made to enhance user experience without negative feedback.
What Is PhonePe’s Indus App Store?
The Indus App Store, a platform supported by fintech giant PhonePe, is tailored specifically for Indian users and caters to the unique and diverse needs of the country. It supports 12 regional languages, making it accessible to all users across India's diverse linguistic landscape. With a collection of over 200,000 apps and games spread across 45 categories, including entertainment, education, finance, and productivity, it aims to provide a comprehensive ecosystem for users. The platform encourages local app development by providing a free developer platform, through which the producers of the apps can place their applications free of cost for the first year. Here, we have highlighted about the Indus App Store launch soon after its roll out, and in other blog, we discussed six of the best features of Indus App store entails, which shows its potential and innovation in the app market of India.
Key Features of Indus App Store
Localized Content: Indus App Store provides content tailored to Indian users, making app discovery easier.
Seamless System App Updates: It will also update Xiaomi’s system apps, ensuring smoother app management.
Enhanced App Discovery: Its user-friendly interface makes it easier to find apps through personalized recommendations.
Developer Support: With free app publishing in the first year, developers have a lucrative opportunity to reach millions.
How Will the Transition Happen?
The change from GetApps to the Indus App Store will happen automatically in January 2025, which will be a seamless update for users. All Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco phones will get an OTA update that will replace the GetApps platform with the Indus App Store. Users need not worry as the app installation and support services will not be affected as the GetApps team will continue to provide the services under the new brand of Indus Services App.
Why Is This a Win for Users?
The Indus App Store is a huge improvement compared to the ad-heavy GetApps Store, promising no advertisements and a cleaner interface for users. With the availability of more than 200,000 apps on its curated list, users have the opportunity to experience better-quality app recommendations based on user requirements. It also comes with multilingual support, hence it is localized and accessible in all parts of India, hence being one of the most effective platforms in the Indian App ecosystem.
Impact on Developers and Businesses
The Indus App Store is a wonderful opportunity for app developers and businesses in India, providing an opportunity to grow and innovate. One of its attractive features is the low entry barrier; it has a first-year free policy that lets developers publish their apps without paying anything for the first year. This will encourage local developers to come out with their creativity and contribute to the growing Indian app ecosystem.
In addition to its developer-friendly approach, the Indus App Store provides access to millions of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphone users. This ensures maximum visibility for apps and makes it an attractive platform for businesses looking to expand their audience.
Backed by fintech giant PhonePe, this platform holds great potential for future monetization. Developers and businesses would look forward to features such as in-app purchases and subscription models, unlocking new revenue streams and driving growth in India's digital economy.
The move of Xiaomi to end GetApps and join the Indus App Store by PhonePe will be a welcome change for users and developers alike. The new app store promises to be more user-centric, with less invasive ads and a lot more quality content. This change will enhance the overall smartphone experience as well as the ecosystem of app development in India.
Are you excited about this change? Share your thoughts and let us know how you feel about Xiaomi replacing GetApps with the Indus App Store!
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