Google Maps Platform in order to increase accessibility to developers in India, Google has announced a significant price reduction starting August 1, 2024. The tech giant will reduce pricing for its core services by up to 70% and will also accept payments in Indian Rupees (INR).
This announcement comes at a time when Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola, has been vocally critical of Google’s pricing policies. In a recent statement on Twitter, Aggarwal said, “Dear @Google, too little too late! Reducing prices for @googlemaps, ‘offering to price in ₹‘ after #ExitGoogleMaps. Don’t need your fake generosity!”
Dear @Google, too little too late!
Reducing prices for @googlemaps, “offering to price in ₹” after #ExitGoogleMaps. Don’t need your fake generosity!
Tomorrow, I’ll be writing a blog response and announcing major updates on Ola maps @Krutrim. Stay tuned! 🇮🇳💪 pic.twitter.com/XlXfp10J2L
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) July 17, 2024
Aggarwal has been actively encouraging developers to switch to Ola Maps, positioning it as a better alternative. He hinted at further updates, stating, “Tomorrow, I’ll be writing a blog response and announcing major updates on Ola Maps @Krutrim. Stay tuned!”
As Google Maps API sees a price reduction, the Indian developer community will be watching closely to see how this impacts the competitive landscape of mapping services.
Background
Google’s decision to lower prices follows significant feedback from the developer community in India, who have been seeking more affordable solutions. This pricing change is expected to benefit developers with a progressive usage-based discount after 5,000,000+ monthly requests for most Google Maps Platform Core Services.
Industry Response
The timing of this announcement is particularly interesting as it coincides with Ola’s increasing focus on its mapping services, Ola Maps. Bhavish Aggarwal’s public call for developers to adopt Ola Maps adds a competitive edge to the mapping services market in India.