Paid apps still coming to Android Market in Q1 '09, US and UK rollout first

Despite a decent selection, we get the feeling Android developers have really been holding back until they can make a little money for their hard labor. Google exec Eric Chu is telling registered Android Market members via email that the rollout of paid apps is still coming first quarter of next year. He said it will occur in stages, starting with the US and UK first, followed by Germany, Austria, and Netherlands for phase two and France, Italy, and Spain after that, with more countries to be announced by the end of Q1 2009. Chu also said to expect an update to the Market website in mid-January that'll allow developers to target specific countries for their apps. Android devs, we hope you're ready -- we can't wait to see what toys you'll give us once you're able to make some coins from it.

[Yan @ Dec 31st 2008 12:10PM]

As a dev, I'm holding pattern until the SDK has bluetooth support, specifically I need access to rfcomm. Hopefully, we'll get it with the arrival of cupcake.

[iPhoney @ Dec 31st 2008 4:15PM]

so does that mean we can disable the ads now?

[no @ Dec 31st 2008 12:16PM]

Need moar flashlights and tip calculators!!!!

[OS X snow leopard @ Dec 31st 2008 12:21PM]

whats the developers cut? little money haha

There is serious money to be made in mobile apps

[Matt @ Dec 31st 2008 12:47PM]

Devs get 70% from what i've been reading. Hopefully this whould arrive about the same time my game is finished :)

[kazoo @ Dec 31st 2008 12:39PM]

gfart anyone?

[Jason Wright @ Dec 31st 2008 1:11PM]

There are already enough fart applications and they are all free.

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 2:31PM]

sorry, it was me.

[swamishreeji2006 @ Dec 31st 2008 12:49PM]

screw paid apps, i want cracked apps...... :D

[Mycroft @ Dec 31st 2008 12:51PM]

I hope there is a trail period for android apps. I am reluctant to pay for apps based upon descriptions alone.

[Mycroft @ Dec 31st 2008 12:57PM]

Ahem. Trial.

[AndroidTapp.com @ Apr 15th 2009 8:47PM]

@Mycroft That's what Android App Review website will come in handy for. Let someone else download and pay for it first, here are the top ones: http://www.google.com/search?q=android%20app%20review%20websites

[AndroidTapp.com @ Apr 15th 2009 8:47PM]

@Mycroft That's what Android App Review website will come in handy for. Let someone else download and pay for it first, here are the top ones: http://www.google.com/search?q=android%20app%20review%20websites

[Chris E. @ Dec 31st 2008 12:52PM]

We don't need no stinkin' paid apps. We like the free as in beer apps! That's why we bought G1's in the first place. Right?

[Ronald @ Dec 31st 2008 6:08PM]

Nope, I bought it in the first place because of the Free As-In-Speech.

That said, I'll pay for apps if they're worth it to me, but I fully expect the option to override the OTA updates with one downloadable from either T-Mobile or Google that gives me the root password.

"All I ask is for a shell prompt, and a login to steer her by."

[chefgon_ign @ Dec 31st 2008 12:51PM]

I've been working on an Android port of an XNA game I made a while back. I was hoping to have it finished before the paid apps went live so I wouldn't have to compete against professionally developed stuff.

I'm still going to give it away for free, but I think once people start seeing real professional stuff on the platform they're not going to care about my little 2D puzzle game anymore. Oh well, I guess that's what I get for partying instead of coding over Christmas break.

[Nick @ Dec 31st 2008 12:58PM]

I think this will be great for the market. Adding professional paid apps will increase the variety of apps, but I think free apps will always have a great appeal since they are free. It's hard to compete with free

[Todd @ Dec 31st 2008 1:21PM]

Yay! That means a blessed Sling box app, from Sling...something that will never happen on the iPhone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Cdl546xEQ

[cwj @ Dec 31st 2008 1:44PM]

I couldn't see paying for apps until I could install to the card, but I don't hold that against the devs.

[wrabbit @ Dec 31st 2008 1:51PM]

Whoever comes out first with a well designed, fast, porn app will make money hand over fist - pun totally intended. :D

[shugg @ Dec 31st 2008 2:11PM]

its been out for over a year.if u own touch or iphone.,ifap.to tell me what u all think,100% free porn 24/7/365.,

[Lau Pan @ Dec 31st 2008 2:28PM]

Many of the consumers are not interested in paying for these add-ons and programs. We are better served with MS and other apps we pay for up front and know what we are getting. most of these open source apps will not work well with other apps, will be a pain to deal with, invite virus issues and these developers will want us to pay. Forget that

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 2:47PM]

I'm sorry, I don't understand. With MS, you know what you are getting because you paid upfront and DIDN'T get a trial??? I'm confused.

Most open source apps:
...will not work with other apps?? like docx?
...will be a pain to deal with? like Firefox?
...invite viruses? Why, because devs are getting paid huge margins directly? Yeah that's no incentive to build better code and push fixes and updates faster.

You're an idiot.

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 2:47PM]

Oh, and do let us know when your Zune wakes up.

[gerrrg @ Dec 31st 2008 2:31PM]

Yeah....the game selection is like....nil.

But then again, I can barely get by without charging every 24 hours...so I guess it doesn't matter that much, as I can't really play games on the G1 AND listen to music AND still make phone calls.

I predict that by next Fall, I'm going to have to buy a new battery just to keep up.

[shugg @ Dec 31st 2008 4:23PM]

i heard will try to have about 1000 apps on launch date .like u know who.,dee dee deee

[Blacksheep @ Dec 31st 2008 5:19PM]

I have a G1, but what bothers me is that apps can't be copied to the SD card, they go on the system's main storage. Is there anyone to get apps to install on the SD card, because all these paid apps won't be to popular if people have to keep deleting them all when they want to try a new one.

[metallic9900 @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:33AM]

What are the odds of a true tethering app. arriving in the marketplace the first week developers can start charging??????

[Jon @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:04AM]

With the success of Apple's applications, this was a no-brainer move by them... I am surprised microsoft isn't in this marketplace already with their phone apps.

Jon
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