EricChu
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Google 'not happy' with Android Market purchase rates, many changes coming
Having a Market full of apps is a very good thing for owners of Android handsets, but those owners buying few premium apps is a bad thing for developers who keep that Market full. That, of course, is also bad news for Google, which is making a variety of changes to appease devs, some of which Android Platform Manager Eric Chu outlined at the Inside Social Apps conference yesterday. After already nuking the 24 hour trial period Google is now working on an in-app payment system, which would enable the direct-selling of add-ons, costumes, and enough other bits and bobs to ensure you'll never buy a fully-featured app again. Google is also negotiating with more carriers to allow users to have app purchases appear on their bill, rather than using a separate payment system, as is already possible on AT&T. Finally, a team of honest to gosh humans is working on helping to weed out apps that violate the company's terms of service, sifting through the Market to find bogus downloads, perhaps an admission that the "open and unobstructed environment" ideal isn't working out. We wonder if they'll also be looking for free apps that quite capably provide the functionality of premium ones. Those, it seems, are the greatest threat to the paid apps -- and perhaps the greatest asset of the Market itself.
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.
