The expert told about the consequences of a possible blocking of payment for games in Google Play

After Google Play disables the ability to pay for purchases in apps and games, Russian developers will have to look for alternative platforms to distribute their products, developer and author of Mobile Developer Alexey Gladkov told Izvestia on December 16. According to him, the introduction of strict restrictions will inevitably lead to the emergence of "gray" schemes to circumvent them.

Earlier, on December 13, it was reported that the app store notified domestic developers about the termination of cooperation - from December 26, payment processing will be frozen indefinitely.

According to Gladkov, if Russian applications are completely blocked in Google Play, users will face serious difficulties. Familiar services and games may become unavailable for downloading and updating, forcing them to look for alternative ways to access content.

"There are already solutions on the market to circumvent such restrictions, but they come with certain risks. For example, installing apps from unverified third-party sources may not be safe due to the threat of malware or fraud. Users may also face a more complicated payment process if they need to use cryptocurrency or e-wallets," he said.

Paywall: about 15% of Russian apps may disappear from Google Play

What is the reason and what alternative paths are available to domestic developers

At the same time, Russian developers will have to look for alternative platforms to distribute their products. In addition, the creation of their own content distribution systems, such as official application sites, may also be a way out. But it is important to take into account that such a scheme will complicate users' access to products and increase developers' operating costs, Gladkov added.

At the same time, the introduction of strict restrictions will inevitably lead to the emergence of "gray" schemes to circumvent them, the expert believes. These may include third-party intermediary services, selling cracked versions of applications or using VPNs to change region, but such methods carry risks of data loss and money loss.

"It is important for users to carefully check sources offering to bypass restrictions. It is better to give preference to trusted platforms, such as RuStore, or use official websites of developers," the expert recommended.

According to him, users can prepare in advance for possible blocking by installing necessary applications from Google Play or switching to new platforms, such as RuStore. Developers should actively seek new channels to promote their products and introduce convenient payment methods, said the author of Mobile Developer.

The situation with Google Play may become a signal to Russian IT-companies about increasing pressure on the market. However, new challenges also open up prospects for the development of local platforms and services capable of replacing foreign analogs, the expert emphasized.

Before that, on December 14, RuStore security director Dmitry Morev said that payment restrictions in Russian applications and games in Google Play will provoke a new wave of fraud. Users may start receiving messages with phishing payment links en masse, he said.