This week saw major changes and developments within the industry. Google has designed a new gaming system for Android 17, there has been important funding news in mobile marketing, new monetisation tools for developers, and another shift in Play Store economics.

Android 17 Introduces Foldable-First Gaming Controls

Google is reportedly trialing a new gaming experience, specifically for Android 17 foldable devices. The feature transforms the lower half of a foldable smartphone into a fully customisable virtual game controller, while gameplay runs on the upper display.

With this new experience, developers and players will be able to customise controller layouts inspired by Xbox and PlayStation controllers, adjust button positioning and sizing and take advantage of haptic feedback for a more console-like user experience. The feature could significantly improve the gaming experience on foldable devices without requiring external accessories.

If introduced publicly, it would represent one of Google's biggest platform-level gaming enhancements for foldables to date.

AppsFlyer Reportedly Raises Over $1 Billion

AppsFlyer, a mobile measurement and attribution platform, has reportedly secured more than $1 billion in new funding, valuing the company at approximately $2.7 billion.

The funding round is rumoured to have backing from major industry players including Google, Meta, Unity and Moloco. The funding is said to contribute towards investment in AI-powered advertising analytics, mobile attribution and marketing measurement. This comes at a time where competition has intensified across the mobile advertising ecosystem.

The investment highlights continued confidence in attribution and analytics platforms despite ongoing changes to privacy regulations and advertising measurement.

Unity Expands IAP with Direct-to-Consumer Payments

Unity has released IAP SDK 5.4, introducing support for direct-to-consumer (D2C) payments.

The update enables developers to sell digital content through web-based storefronts alongside traditional in-app purchases via Apple and Google app stores. By supporting external purchasing channels, studios gain greater flexibility over pricing, promotions, customer relationships and overall revenue management.

The move reflects a growing industry trend toward diversified monetisation strategies and greater control over player transactions.

Google Lowers Play Store Commission

Google has announced a significant update to its Play Store fee structure, reducing commission rates to around 10% across many developer scenarios.

The policy change is designed to lower costs for developers, particularly those exceeding certain revenue thresholds and publishers offering auto-renewing subscription services. The revised fee structure is expected to improve margins while making the Play Store more competitive as developers increasingly explore alternative distribution and payment options.

The reduction marks another notable shift in Google's evolving approach to app marketplace economics.

Today's Takeaway

Today's announcements underline four major industry trends shaping the mobile ecosystem:

• Google continues to invest in unique experiences for emerging hardware, with foldable gaming becoming a growing focus.
• AI remains a key investment area, as demonstrated by AppsFlyer's reported billion-dollar funding round.
• Developers are gaining more freedom over monetisation through Unity's new direct-to-consumer purchasing capabilities.
• Platform economics continue to evolve, with Google's lower Play Store commissions potentially improving profitability for developers.

Together, these developments point toward a more developer-friendly mobile ecosystem, with increased flexibility in distribution, monetisation, and gaming experiences.