Paid apps finally show in Android Market
updated 12:30 pm EST, Fri February 20, 2009
Paid Android Apps Show
After promises last week, readers at BGR and elsewhere have found paid apps starting to appear on the Android Market for phones like the T-Mobile G1. The initial lineup is small and primarily involves small 99-cent utilities and classic games, though in some cases apps are paid versions of previously ad-subsidized apps.
Accessing the paid apps requires updated firmware and might not be possible for all current Android phone owners, which include the G1 as well as the HTC Dream and the developer-only Dev Phone 1.
Commercial app support was consciously delayed for Android in the months before launch as the infrastructure wasn't in place. However, the support is considered essential by many as it encourages developers to invest more time and resources in developing apps where free software is often made by smaller teams or in basic form only. Most credit the success of Apple's iPhone App Store to encouraging for-pay apps that generate the same percentage of revenue regardless of the actual price.
