Paid apps coming to Android Marketplace this week?

The Wall Street Journal says so...

11 February 2009 15:42 GMT / By Verity Burns

Paid-for applications for Google's HTC G1 phone could be coming to the Android Marketplace by the end of the week, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

Up until now the Android Marketplace has only allowed free apps in its online store, which has limited its offerings in both quantity and quality compared to those in Apple's App Store.

However, it is thought that this will all change when Google allows developers to begin charging for their programs, rumoured to be by the end of the week.

A plus point for programmers developing apps for the G1 is that Android allows them to keep all the profits from the game themselves, as opposed to the App Store which pockets 30% of revenue from third party iPhone apps.

Another good feature of the Android Marketplace is that it is open, with no restrictions on apps or approval from Google needed before users can download them. This is obviously worlds apart from the scrutinising Apple gives every app before getting the go-ahead, something which it has been criticised for in the past.

At the moment, it's unsure how users will pay for G1 apps, and perhaps this goes someway to explaining the hold up on priced programs. We'll be sure to keep you updated on any news we get.

Full tags

Phones, Google, Android, Apps