Google Play Pass Now in India to Offer Ad-Free Experience on Select Apps, Games

Google Play Pass has lastly debuted in India — over two years after its launch within the US. The subscription-based paid service brings entry to apps and video games on Android, with out adverts and in-app purchases. Google affords Play Pass to shoppers in month-to-month and yearly subscription choices, by way of which they get entry to a listing of apps and video games. The service rivals Apple Arcade that gives the same ad-free expertise on a variety of video games obtainable particularly for the iPhone, iPad, iPod contact, Mac, and Apple TV.

On Monday, Google introduced that Play Pass might be rolled out to Android gadgets in India this week. The service offers a curated collection of over 1,000 titles throughout 41 classes from builders throughout 59 nations.

Play Pass additionally consists of 15 titles from Indian builders to start with. These embrace video games resembling Jungle Adventures from Rendered Ideas and World Cricket Battle 2 from Creative Monkey Games.

Google stated that it will proceed to work with international and native builders so as to add new video games and apps to Play Pass each month. Developers have additionally been supplied with a dedicated webpage from the place they’ll nominate their titles for the service.

How to get Google Play Pass in India

Users can get Play Pass in India with a one-month trial and subscribe to it at Rs. 99 a month or Rs. 889 a 12 months. The service can also be obtainable as a pay as you go one-month subscription at Rs. 109. Further, customers who’ve a Google household group can share their Play Pass subscription with as much as 5 different members of the family.

Google Play Pass is rolling out for Android customers in India
Photo Credit: Google

Once Play Pass is rolled out, you can begin its free trial by opening the Play Store in your Android gadget, tapping on the profile icon from the top-right nook, after which choosing the Play Pass possibility.

It is vital to notice that Play Pass works with gadgets which can be working on a minimum of Android 4.4 and have Google Play app model 16.6.25.

Subscribers see the devoted Play Pass tab on Google Play for shortly accessing the gathering of apps and video games obtainable by way of the paid service. The Play Pass ‘ticket’ additionally seems on the app listings when shopping titles on the Play retailer.

Google’s reply to Apple Arcade

Introduced within the US again in September 2019, Google Play Pass is designed as Google’s reply to Apple Arcade that works in a similar way.

“With the launch of Play Pass in India, we are excited to offer a robust collection of unlocked titles to our users and looking forward to partnering with more local developers to build amazing experiences users love,” stated Aditya Swamy, Director, Play Partnerships, Google India, in a ready assertion.

While Play Pass does give the ad-free expertise on numerous standard apps and video games, there are nonetheless numerous titles obtainable on Google Play that require customers to have particular person subscriptions and in-app purchases.

Play Pass offers a possibility to small-scale builders to get international publicity because the service is at the moment obtainable in 90 nations internationally. However, the precise variety of Play Pass subscribers has not but been revealed by Google.

India is the second largest market for app downloads after China, in accordance with app analyst agency Data.ai (previously often known as App Annie). The nation can also be one of many quickest rising markets for apps world wide. But nonetheless, it doesn’t come within the listing of top-20 cell markets on the subject of client spendings on apps.

A current report by Data.ai exhibits that China, US, and Japan have been probably the most dominating markets for app client spend, with the US noticed a 30 % year-on-year progress of $43 billion (roughly Rs. 3,25,300 crore) in 2021.

Google didn’t reply on what made it deliver the Play Pass service to India after over two years of its launch within the US.

Unlike Play Pass, Apple Arcade debuted in India and greater than 150 nations worldwide in September 2019 alone. Apple’s service is on the market at Rs. 99 a month after a one-month trial. It can also be obtainable free for the first three months for those who get a brand new Apple gadget.