EU antitrust regulators quiz developers on Google app payments

Critics say fees charged by Google and Apple at their mobile app stores are excessive and cost developers collectively billions of dollars a year.

EU antitrust regulators have asked app developers whether Alphabet unit Google's threat to remove apps from its Play Store if they use other payment options instead of its own billing system has hurt their business, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

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Critics say fees charged by Google and Apple at their mobile app stores are excessive and cost developers collectively billions of dollars a year, a sign of the two companies' monopoly power.

Questionnaires were sent to developers last month, the people said.

Of the 16 questions in the document, some covered the period 2017-2021 and others 2019-2021. The European Commission declined to comment. Google did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

The U.S. tech giant has said apps would be removed from its app store starting June this year if developers do not use its billing system.

Respondents were asked whether Google's policy change this year impacted the distribution of their goods or services on Google Play Store, which apps were affected and if it affected their ability to acquire users on Android devices, the people said.