Android in-app purchases now active

Google has followed up on a last-minute promise and started up public access to Android In-app Billing. The system catches up to iOS and opens the door to buying books, game add-ons, and other content that had previously been locked out. It can take the same payment methods as regular Android app sales through Google Checkout and has the same localized prices.

Some of the first titles are those it had first promised at its Android event in early February. Many are iOS ports that already had in-app purchasing, such as Comics (Market), Dungeon Defenders (Market), and Tap Tap Revenge 4 (Market).

Both developers and users need to have at least Android 1.6 to get at In-app Billing, although some apps will need a later version of Android to run. The launch comes early as Google had set itself a Google I/O conference deadline to get the system in place.

By Electronista Staff