Google Launches ‘Apple Arcade’ Rival For Android Users at Rs 350

The latest subscription service on Android offers games as well as premium apps for mobile users.

Play Pass will offer apps and games as part of the service.

(Photo: Android altered by The Quint)

Google has announced its game and apps subscription service called Play Pass. With this, Android users can pay $4.99 (Rs Rs 350 approx) per month and get access to game titles as well as premium apps on their devices.

Play Pass is nothing but the Android version of Apple Arcade. Apple had introduced Arcade to iOS users last week through the iOS 13 update.

To make the subscription deal sweeter, Play Pass will cost $1.99 (Rs 140) per month for the first year for those who sign up before 10 October 2019. They’re also offering a 10-day free trial on Play Pass for users.

The only catch is, Play Pass is available to users in the US only for now, and other regions will be added in the coming month, which will most likely include India as well.

Google says that users can share Play Pass with up to five family members, allowing each of them to access their apps and games library individually, without interfering with downloads of other members.

Apple Arcade, in comparison, gives access to six people and has been priced at Rs 99 per month in India.

Google says it is offering over 350 apps and games in Play Pass, with new games and apps added every month.

Just like Apple’s Arcade, the Play Pass tab is accessible from the Play Store itself, where users can browse different sections like “New”, “Top Games” and “Recommended” among others.

Subscription services mean you have to spend money, which most Indian mobile users have shied away from. But with unique offerings like Play Pass and Arcade, that has been priced smartly for India, the trend could possibly change, as the benefits become more lucrative for the money spent.

Google is also launching its Stadia online gaming service in the coming months, and we’re most likely going to hear about it at the Pixel 4 series launch event on 15 October.