Hardly hot on the heels of Apple’s App Store development Android market has announced in-app billing. It will be interesting to see if Google’s detailed terms on Android Market and conditions are as strict as Apple’s have recently become, whereby Apple won’t allow web site pricing to be below in-App pricing and it doesn’t allow apps at all which bypass its billing process to buy from other stores, something which it originally allowed.
Apple has had in-App billing since 2009 and as recently as February upgraded this to include subscription services such as regular newspaper purchases.
Android seems to be copying all Apple features eventually, but is in no particular hurry ‘ very reminiscent of how Microsoft copied Apple operating system features into Windows, using it like its R&D department, and bringing out analogous improvements in subsequent releases.
Several apps have launched with the in application billing, including Tap Tap Revenge by Disney Mobile; Comics by ComiXology; Gun Bros, Deer Hunter Challenge HD and WSOP3 by Glu Mobile, as well as Dungeon Defenders FW Deluxe by Trendy Entertainment.