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Paid Android apps hitting Android Market next week?

By: , IntoMobile
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 4:25 PM

Could Google be gearing up to offer paid apps in the Android Market starting next week? It might just happen.

We’ve been expecting Google to start accepting premium, for-pay Android applications into the Android Market sometime in this half of 2009. And, with T-Mobile currently rolling out the Android RC33 update to T-Mobile G1 owners in the US, Google is seemingly poised to finally start peddling premium applications through the Android Market.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

“This week Google will start allowing developers to charge for software sold through the Android Market, according to people familiar with the matter.”

The WSJ article only makes a passing reference to Google’s Android Market as part of an analysis of Microsoft’s mobile strategy, but it was enough to catch the attention of Android-savvy smartphone users around the blogosphere. The unassuming sentence in the WSJ has sparked speculation that Google will unleash premium Android applications later this week. But, there is also the distinct possibility that for-pay Android apps will debut next week, coinciding with the start of Mobile World Congress 2009.

Considering that the Android RC33 update isn’t scheduled to be completely rolled out until Feb. 15th, Google might just hold off on flipping the premium-app switch until the RC33 update penetrates the US fleet of T-Mobile G1′s. Even with the RC33 update floating around and ready to force-update any G1 to the latest Android OS build, there are likely thousands of G1′s roaming T-Mobile network with pre-RC33 firmware. If Google were to wait until T-Mobile finishes rolling out the update, it would push the launch of premium Android apps until at least next week.

This week, next week, next month, whatever the case, all eyes are on the Android Market to deliver on a monetizable distribution model. Just don’t go holding your breath for it to happen…

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • forever4now

    Android is likely to really catch fire, once paid apps are supported in the Android Market and as the expected slew of new Android devices are announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

    2009 is shaping up to be a VERY exciting year for smartphones…and consumers!

  • Timbo

    They just started to allow payed apps in other country’s this week! It is great:) I love the Adrenaline APP best payed app so far! Really speeds up my internet connection! Can’t wait to see more payed apps on here since there are not many that are good. The one thing I like is that you can buy, then try the app for 24 and get a refund if you don’t like the app, so there are no worries!

    Have a good one!

    Timbo