By allowing in app subscriptions Google hopes that they can further leverage the success of the in-app billing feature for app and game developers. According to Ibrahim Elbouchikhi, Product Manager for the Google Play team:
In-app Billing has been extremely successful in helping developers monetize their apps through try-and-buy, virtual goods, upgrades, and other popular business models. Today, 23 of the 24 top-grossing apps in Google Play use In-app Billing, and the total revenue generated from in-app purchases exceeds revenue from traditional app purchases.
- Ibrahim Elbouchikhi
Developers can now use Google's in-app billing to charge customers for monthly or annual subscriptions. The subscriptions will be automatically renewed and, once the developer sets the price, the rest of the transaction will be handled by the Google Play Store. Google will also handle any recurring charges for the developer's convenience.
The in-app subscription service will not just work for publications; developers can also sell content for their customers which can include: bundled products; additional game levels; music content; video content; and any type of value-added services or digital content.
Building on Google Play’s strength as a truly cloud-connected experience, developers can offer users the ability to carry their subscriptions across multiple properties, services, or campaigns. To make this easier, we’re introducing an HTTP-based publisher API through which enterprise-scale backend servers can validate or cancel subscriptions. Using this API, for example, developers can extend access from their Android apps to their web properties, based on subscriptions that are purchased on Google Play.
- Ibrahim Elbouchikhi
Very soon, several developers will be introducing apps with Google Play subscriptions including Glu Mobile. Glu Mobile will be launching updated versions of its top Android titles. Niccolo de Masi, CEO of Glu, stated the following about in-app subscriptions:
"We're using Google Play subscriptions to offer consumers a compelling value and a single currency which they can use across Glu’s most popular titles. We're excited to bring these capabilities to our Android users and we believe that Google Play subscriptions will fuel further growth in our business."
- Niccolo de Masi
Developers can get started with Google's subscription service by reading the in-app billing document and by downloading the updated sample app.
Are you a developer who could use Google's new subscription service? Please let us know in the comments section what you think of this new service.
