As of 10 March, Google has paused all billing systems in Russia, meaning that Android users in the country will no longer be able to purchase apps and games, pay for subscriptions, or make any in-app purchases through the Google Play Store. However, free apps will still be available for Russian users to download.
The company cites the reason for the move as “payment system disruption”, and while it didn’t elaborate any further, it’s possible that it might have something to do with the fact that major payment processors such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal have recently halted all operations in the country.
All subscriptions will continue until the end of the current billing period, but will then be cancelled afterwards as it won’t be possible to renew them. That being said, Google will still honour existing grace periods and free trials already set up by developers.
With that, the tech giant seems to suggest that developers defer users’ renewal for up to one year if they want subscribers to keep having access to content. Google also recommends that developers who provide a critical service offer the app for free or remove paid subscriptions during the pause. During this period, developers can continue to publish new apps and update existing apps on Google Play Store.
(Source: Google)
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