Google Play to allow in-app subscriptions

Android developers have a new revenue model available to them through the Google Play store, Google announced today.

According to Gamasutra, in-app subscriptions are now available for games released on the Google Play platform version 3.5 and later, and developers can take advantage of this by offering automatically renewing charges to their apps.

Google says that in-app purchases now exceed total revenues for traditional download fees, and with a new way for customers to pay for content, developers have every reason to take heed of the changes.

Customers can choose between monthly and annually renewing subscriptions, and view their current subscriptions in the my apps tab on the Google Play store.

Validations and cancellations are supported by a new HTTP-based publisher API allowing developers to impelement enterprise-scale backend systems capable of extending subscription benefits beyond the mobile phone and into web-based properties.