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O2 now lets you charge iTunes credit to your phone bill
O2 already has a number of deals in place that allow its customers to buy digital wares and charge the cost straight to their phone bill. It now has a new partner in Apple, as the carrier's "Charge to Mobile" program has been expanded to include iTunes vouchers this week. Direct-carrier billing is supposed to be about convenience, but O2 contract and pay-as-you-go customers need to jump through a few hoops to take advantage of this new way to pay. It's handled through an O2 subsite -- o2vouchers.co.uk -- where you select an iTunes voucher of up to £30 that'll be emailed to you when the payment goes through. You then volunteer your mobile number, and you'll be sent a text you must reply to in order to approve the transaction. When the code eventually hits your inbox, you can use the credit in iTunes, iBooks and the iOS/Mac App Stores. A slightly more convoluted process than you were hoping for, we imagine, but at least you can get a fiver off a £25 voucher from now until this introductory promotion closes at the end of next week.
Verizon Galaxy S III software update adds bug fixes, carrier billing and Multi Window support
With an AWS-enabled Galaxy S 4 looming on the horizon for Verizon (note: the rhyme has us cringing, too), Samsung's Galaxy S III is gracefully sunsetting its flagship status. But it's not bowing out quietly. A software update is set to roll out to Big Red GS III's that'll bring with it a veritable slew of under-the-hood improvements (i.e., consistent 4G connection when in hotspot mode, easier NFC access, S Voice tweaks, etc.), as well as Multi Window functionality for app multi-tasking and direct carrier billing for Google Play. Owners will also find Flipboard, if they haven't downloaded it already, pre-loaded onto their devices post-update -- though, it arrives without that nifty Air View preview feature. So, you can hold off from the GS4 envy for a bit yet, there's still some life left in Samsung's one-time Android king.
Mach inks carrier billing deal with Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone and Three in the UK
Not a month after Mach's last carrier billing deal, UK network providers Vodafone, Three, O2 and Everything Everywhere are getting in on the action. The company's direct billing solutions will initially allow the networks to charge app and online purchases straight to your bill, with in-app sales joining them at a later date. Don't expect this to be implemented immediately, however, as the agreement covers the back-end processing -- the individual carriers will be responsible for turning it on customer-side. They'll likely inform you when they hit the switch and your phone bill becomes a monthly surprise.
Skype strikes deal with Mach to expand direct carrier billing for credit purchases
Skype is always finding new ways of making it easier for users to spend money, and now it's extending its carrier billing options in a new deal with Mach. From October, more users than ever will be able to buy credit for the VoIP service then forget about it -- at least until the phone bill arrives. Purchases will initially be available through a web browser, but in-app functionality is expected in the future, although there's no word on exactly which network providers will be involved. We hope, however, that sometime next month, at least a few of those who enjoy Skyping on the move will appreciate sending the bill to their carrier.
Google Play adds carrier billing for music, movies and books
Don't feel like having media purchased through Google Play billed directly to your credit card? Well, now you can have those charges simply added to your monthly phone bill, provided you're on T-Mobile here in the US, or NTT Docomo, KDDI, or Softbank in Japan. According to Google's posting about the move, Sprint will soon be offering the option to pay for movies, books and movies purchased through Big G's market along side your voice and data plan. For T-Mobile subscribers that means both apps and content can simply be added to your tab, while AT&T is sticking with carrier billing for apps only at the moment. Conspicuously absent from the whole shebang, however, is Verizon, which has been one of the more prominent Android pushers here in the US. For a complete list of carriers with at least some direct billing features check out the more coverage link.
T-Mobile hails Direct Carrier Billing to fulfill your digital shopping desires
T-Mobile doesn't seem too wild about playing with Google Wallet, but for its part, the Bellevue-based carrier keeps dipping its toes into the mobile payment pond. As you're probably aware, its customers have been able to apply Android Market purchases to their wireless bills for a couple years, and later this month, they'll be able to do the same with digital content such as music, movies, and videos. Shopping online without needing a credit card is an obvious benefit, and the company is hoping its two-step authentication process will keep customers feeling secure. All Magenta subscribers will see the option at the time of checkout on T-Mobile's partner websites -- regardless of the device they connect with -- and they'll receive an itemized statement of purchases with their monthly bills. The feature can be disabled if you'd rather not participate, and if you're not sold yet, read the full story in the PR just past the break.
