AI
New Service Fees and Billing Choice
Paul Feng announced service fee reductions and expanded billing flexibility. The standard mobile service fee drops to 10% on the first $1M in annual earnings and on recurring transactions. Non-recurring transactions: 20% for new installs, 25% for existing. Through the level-up and apps experience programs, rates fall to 15% new and 20% existing. Play Billing now supports over 300 local payment methods across 65 markets. The new rate card goes live December 30th.
AI-Powered Discovery on the Play Store
Kelly Jorrie highlighted content-forward features driving discovery. YouTab, a personalized hub for re-engagement, now sees over 250 million active users monthly. AI-powered Q&A answers 95% of user questions about apps. Play Shorts, a vertical video feed for previewing app functionality, launches next month in the US. Ask Play, an AI overlay for natural-language app searches, is available today in English in the US.
Reaching Users Beyond the Store
App discovery now extends into the Gemini app on Android and the web. No developer code is required – Play uses existing store listing data. For media apps, users can search over 450,000 movies and shows (e.g., “Where can I stream Landman?”). Play Games Sidekick, an in-game overlay with AI tips, rewards, and social features, is already adopted by over 100 games. Friend activity and achievement tracking arrive next month.
Optimizing Revenue and Preventing Fraud
Diego Dayan presented tools to reduce subscriber loss. Delayed charging grants access after a failed low-risk payment while retrying in the background. Extending the account recovery period from 30 to 60 days cut involuntary churn by 18% and total churn by 9% for top developers. A new cancellation flow lets users downgrade instead of quit. Anti-fraud efforts blocked $3.4 billion in attempted fraud and $130 million in abusive refunds last year.
Automating Operations with AI
Gemini now automates localization in Play Console. Developers upload a CSV or Google Sheet; Gemini pre-populates store listings and translates subscription benefits. Search keyword recommendations lead to one-click custom listings. A new reach metric and traffic source attribution (for explore, paid, direct) show user value beyond acquisition. AI-driven chart descriptions and interactive Q&A let developers ask “why?” and get actionable next steps.
Notable Quotes
“Google Play service fees will be among the lowest of any app store” Paul Feng · ▶ Watch (5:07)
“YouTab is already seeing over 250 million active users engaging with your apps and games every month” Kelly Jorrie · ▶ Watch (7:44)
“this requires zero additional code by you” Kelly Jorrie · ▶ Watch (13:56)
“18% reduction in involuntary churn and a 9% reduction in total churn for top developers” Diego Dayan · ▶ Watch (20:44)
“protected apps using Google Play billing from $3.4 billion in attempted fraud and $130 million in abusive refunds” Diego Dayan · ▶ Watch (21:48)
Key Takeaways
- Service fees drop to 10% for recurring revenue and as low as 15% for new installs.
- Play Shorts and Ask Play bring AI-driven video previews and conversational search to the store.
- Play Games Sidekick and Gemini integration connect apps to users beyond the Play Store.