Ola CEO Dismisses Google’s 70% Price Cut for Maps as ‘Fake Generosity’
Google CEO Sundar Pichai & Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarz
Following Google’s announcement of a 70% price reduction for Google Maps in India, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal took to social media to criticize the move as “fake generosity.”
On July 17, Google revealed at its developer event in Bengaluru that it would cut prices for Google Maps services and allow payments in Indian Rupees starting August 1, 2024. The move aims to make the platform more accessible to Indian developers.
Aggarwal mocked the announcement on X, calling it “too little too late,” and shared an image of Google’s announcement. He wrote, “Dear @Google, reducing prices for @googlemaps and offering to price in ₹ after #ExitGoogleMaps? Don’t need your fake generosity!”
Aggarwal also hinted at a major update for Ola Maps, stating he would be writing a blog response and unveiling new developments on the platform.
This price change comes a week after Ola Maps, developed locally by Aggarwal’s company, offered one year of free access and ₹100 crore worth of credits to Indian developers.
The new pricing will apply a 90% discount for developers on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform and introduce payment options in Indian Rupees.
Social Media Reaction:
Reactions to Aggarwal’s criticism have been mixed.
One user commented, “When they reduce the price for their product, it’s fair. Calling it fake seems ungrateful.”
Another added, “You were using @googlemaps before. Now that you have Ola Maps, you’re criticizing @Google. This doesn’t seem like a professional response.”
A third user replied, “How is this fake generosity? Google offers a product with superior services compared to Ola Maps.”