New Delhi, March 24 (TIWN) Tech giant Google has announced a pilot programme to test third-party billing systems in Android and across its wider ecosystem.

The programme will allow a small number of participating developers to offer an additional billing option next to Google Play's billing system and is designed to help it explore ways to offer this choice to users while maintaining its ability to invest in the ecosystem.  "We think that users should continue to have the choice to use Play's billing system when they install an app from Google Play," Sameer Samat, Vice President, Product Management said in a blogpost.  "We also think it is critical that alternative billing systems meet similarly high safety standards in protecting users' personal data and sensitive financial information," it added.  The company said it will be partnering with developers to explore different implementations of user-choice billing, starting with Spotify.  "As one of the world's largest subscription developers with a global footprint and integrations across a wide range of device form factors, they are a natural first partner," the company said.  "Together, we will work to innovate in how consumers make in-app purchases, deliver engaging experiences across multiple devices, and bring more consumers to the Android platform," it added.  Meanwhile, the New Delhi-based Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) called Google's "user choice billing" announcement for "select" developers a clear admission of guilt and an illusion of choice tactic. It has called for an extension of the March 30 deadline to all developers.