Google has expanded the scope of its pilot project on user choice billing in the apps on Play Store.

The internet giant has allowed non-gaming app developers to offer users an alternative billing system alongside Google Play’s billing system.

In-app purchases involve the user purchasing additional content, features or subscriptions within an app.

Responding to a query from The Telegraph, Google said users will continue to have a choice while making in-app purchases.

The choice will be available in India, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and the European Economic Area.

This is an opt-in pilot for the developers and if they do not wish to offer user choice billing, no action is necessary.

Google said in the statement that the Google Play Store is the first and only major app store to pilot user choice billing.

No other major app store, whether on mobile, desktop, or game consoles, has taken similar steps toward providing more payment choice and opportunities for developers and users.

The statement further said that Google over the last two years has moved away from one-size-fits-all pricing and today, 99 per cent of developers qualify for a service fee of 15 per cent or less.

“Android has always been a uniquely open operating system, and we continue to evolve our platform and increase the choices available to developers and users while maintaining our ability to invest in the ecosystem.”

“With this next phase of Google Play’s user choice billing pilot, all non-gaming developers can offer an additional billing choice alongside Play’s billing system for their users in Australia, Japan, India, Indonesia, and the European Economic Area. We will be sharing more in the coming months as we continue to build and iterate with our pilot partners,” a spokesperson from Google said.

The decision to expand the scope of the billing system to include third parties comes amid global discontent among developers as well as scrutiny of app store norms, and the way commissions are structured by the major app stores.

In March, Google said it would allow Spotify to use its own payment system in Android.