In a significant shift for Indian Xiaomi users, the company has announced it will replace its pre-installed GetApps marketplace with the Indus Appstore, developed by PhonePe. The transition, set to begin in January 2025, will affect all Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco devices in the country. This change comes as part of Xiaomi’s collaboration with PhonePe, which recently launched the Indus Appstore to provide a more localized app marketplace.
The PhonePe-owned Indus Appstore, which debuted earlier this year, aims to challenge the dominance of the Google Play Store. It offers a 0% fee on in-app purchases, a stark contrast to Google’s 15-30% commission, making it an attractive platform for developers. Additionally, the app store supports multiple Indian languages, allowing for greater inclusivity. This move aligns with growing tensions in the Indian tech industry over Google’s Play Store policies and fees.
The update will be automatic for all eligible devices and will occur via system updates, meaning users will not have the option to opt-out.
While the Indus Appstore promises benefits like seamless integration with PhonePe’s payment system, some users have raised concerns about its usability and whether they can remove the marketplace.
With Xiaomi’s extensive presence in India, having shipped over 250 million smartphones since 2014, the company is expected to play a crucial role in driving the Indus Appstore’s adoption across the country.
