PhonePe launches Indus Appstore, challenges App Store and Google Play duopoly; 5 things to know

PhonePe has introduced the Indus Appstore, a localized app store for Indian consumers that challenges both App Store and Google Play Store. It supports 12 regional languages and offers video-led discovery, AI-driven recommendations, and OTP-based login.

The Indus Appstore will offer 200,000 apps at launch for Android smartphones. (Indus Appstore)

PhonePe announced the launch of Indus Appstore, a localized app store that is built and customized for Indian consumers, at an event held in New Delhi. Calling it ‘India ka app store', the Indus Appstore supports 12 regional languages natively, allowing users to search and browse through apps in their preferred language. Know all about it.

What is the Indus Appstore?

The Indus Appstore was first announced on September 23, 2023, and was rolled out as an Indus Appstore Developer Platform. App developers were invited to register and upload their apps using the self-serve developer platform. Now, Indus Appstore has been unveiled to consumers and it offers an alternative way to install apps on your device. It is available for Android smartphones, which allows users to install alternative app stores. 

At launch, the Indus Appstore will have 200,000 mobile apps, including several thousand games. Developers say they will also be providing support for heavy games. It is developed as a localized, highly personalized and efficient platform.

Not sure which
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Indus Appstore: 5 things you need to know

1. Multi-language support - The Indus Appstore supports 12 regional languages, which can switched between with just a toggle. Users can browse the same set of apps that will get translated in real time. The developers say for every app that is listed on the platform, they have done translations in 12 languages before they are even uploaded to the app store, although the languages haven't been revealed as of yet. It also supports search in multiple languages. 

2. Video-led discovery - The app store will also support video-led discovery, where the founders can build content around the app. Thus, a video trailer will appear whenever you search for an app, providing insight and details about it.

3. AI-driven recommendations - The Indus Appstore will also enable AI-driven recommendations. With continuous usage, the app store will provide recommendations based on exactly who you are. Moreover, it will also support location-based recommendations.

4. Storage management - The app store also aims to help users manage storage on their devices. The Indus Appstore will recommend which apps users need to put to sleep and which they can delete, after checking the usage data of previous months. 

5. OTP-based login - Unlike other app stores which require an email address to sign in, the Indus Appstore will support OTP-based login. Whenever users log in, they will come across a mobile number verification option, post which the Indus Appstore will offer content personalized for that particular mobile number profile.

How and where to download the Indus Appstore?

The Indus Appstore is available for download on the official website - indusappstore.com. Users can download the APK file and install it on their Android smartphones to access the alternative app store by PhonePe.

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