We love it when a rumor comes together. Even better when one of our own rumors pans out.
Earlier this week, we mentioned a rumor that had Google pushing out premium Android applications through the Android Market before the week’s end. The web was ablaze with speculation that paid Android apps would go live this week, but, seeing as how T-Mobile hadn’t (and still hasn’t) finished rolling out the Android RC33 update to its US fleet of T-Mobile G1 handsets, we speculated that Google would be launching premium Android applications no sooner than next week (the same week as Mobile World Congress, in fact). And, wouldn’t you know it? Google has just announced that the Android Market will start offering for-pay (premium) Android applications in the middle of next week.
For now, Google is accepting submissions for premium Android apps. Android developers looking to hock their (soft)wares to the G1-toting masses in the US can submit their apps here. All you non-US Android users will have a to wait just a bit longer – Google says that premium applications will be launched in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, and Spain later this quarter. And, there’s good news for Aussie G1 owners – the Android Market will open the doors to free Android apps starting February 15th!
So, it looks like the wait for paid Android applications is quickly coming to a head. The premium applications market for Android should help spur profit-seeking developers to start investing resources into the Android platform, which should lead to more diverse and more powerful Android apps down the line.