Digital payments firm Paytm launched an ‘Android mini-app store’ in order to help Indian developers market their apps, and in a bid to fight tech giant Google’s dominance in the app store space.
The ‘mini-apps’ would help “citizens to save their limited data and phone memory”, Paytm said in a statement, adding these apps will open within the app itself, and the listings will also be free.
According to the firm, mini-apps are mobile websites that can give users an app-like experience without actually downloading it.
“Paytm Mini App Store empowers our young Indian developers to leverage our reach and payments to build new innovative services,” Founder & CEO, Vijay Shekhar Sharma said.
Over 300 apps, including FreshMenu, Netmeds, Domino’s Pizza, Rapido, Ola, and 1MG have joined the Paytm app store, according to the company.
Here’s how to access the Mini App Store:
1. Open your Paytm app
2. Tap “Show More” on the app’s home page
3. From the pop-up menu, click on “Mini App Store”
The portal facilitates direct access and seamless experience to users to explore, use, and make payments through the apps.
This is seen as the digital payment giant’s strategic attempt to counter Google’s monopoly in the arena. Notably, Google last month pulled the Paytm application from the Play Store for breaching its gambling policies.