Android In-App Billing: More Cash for Developers?

Android unveiled in-application billing so users can purchase goods while using any app. But will this mean more money for developers or for Google?

Basically in-app billing lets users pay for trials, virtual goods, upgrades or other kinds of commerce while still using an app, according to Eric Chu on the Android Developers Blog. Google also takes a 30 percent cut from the purchase -- in-app or outside, the same as the Android Market.

The cut pays off Google for costs as well as distribution, Google spokesman Randall Sarafa told Press:Here.

Titles such as Tap Tap Revenge by Disney Mobile, Comics by ComiXology and Dungeon Defenders: FW Deluxe by Trendy Entertainment are already using the new in-app billing tool. It also gives developers a few news way to make money aside from monetized ads and Android handling the receipts.

Apple previously began in-app billing, so it only makes sense that Android would launch a competing tool. But I believe this is also being done to compete with Amazon's App Market which opened last week, something that is probably much more threatening to the existing Android Market.
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