Google accepting paid applications on Android Market
Posted on February 16, 2009, under Google Android.
Google has opened their Android Market mobile app store for paid applications it seems to be the first step towards changing more integrated bussines model following Apple’s lead. Initially, the Android Market offered only free applications. Now, however, the search giant confirmed plans to next week begin selling applications through Android Market after rumors began circulating earlier this week.
Users of the Android-based T-Mobile G1 smartphone can expect to see the paid apps available starting in the middle of next week, according to a Google post on a blog for Android developers. The search giant said Google Checkout will serve as the payment and billing mechanism for the service.
The company started accepting paid applications from developers today, though it is limiting the program to U.S. and U.K. developers for the time being. Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France and Spain are slated to be added by the end of March.
The move puts Google more closely into competition for developers with Apple, and in particular, the PC maker’s popular App Store for its iPhone and iPod Touch. The App Store concept has caught the attention of all the big mobile providers. In October, BlackBerry maker RIM unveiled plans for an App Store of its own, starting in March. In mid-December, Palm launched its own mobile storefront, the Palm Software Store. The company’s storefront opened with 5,000 applications for over 25 existing Palm devices, with about 1,000 of the applications available for free.
Android applications unavailable for unlocked G1 phones | linux4mobile.com on February 27, 2009
[...] unauthorized copy of the applications,” explained the Google spokesperson. The Market, which opened in late September, had 307 free applications as of late November. According to Google there are now [...]