Google now has a new way for Android app creators to make money from their software. The company announced today that apps sold on the Google Play service can now allow their users to sign up for monthly or annual subscriptions to content and features in the apps themselves.
On the official Android developer blog, Google said:
All subscriptions are auto-renewing, for every app and game and every type of subscription product. Developers just set the price and billing interval and Google Play manages the purchase transactions for them, just as it does for other in-app products and app purchases.
In addition to offering subscriptions for apps such as magazines and journals, Android app developers can also use them to add other subscription features such as in-game currency for games. One game that will use that kind of feature is the shooter title Frontline Commando from Glu Mobile.
In the next few days, people who download that game will be able to buy subscriptions to the game"s custom VIP currency packages. The subscription feature can also be used for music services, adding new game levels or any other kind of additional content. Google also announced today that 23 of the 24 top-grossing Android apps use some kind of in-app billing feature.
Source: Android Developer blog | Image via Glu Media