Google Adds Introductory Pricing for Subscription-based Apps

Apps-play-storeGoogle is introducing the ability to offer an introductory price for subscription-funded Android apps.

Google Play already supports free trials and local or custom pricing for subscriptions, intended to support what it says is the fastest growing business model on the Play Store, with spend on subscriptions have increased ten-fold over the past three years.

The launch was announced at Googles Playtime developer event in San Francisco.

Also the event, Google introduced an API – currently in beta – to help developers identify users who have requested refunds so they can better manage their economies, and gave updates on some of its other recent features.

The ability to pre-register interest in an upcoming game – which was introduced earlier this year with developers like Supercell and King, and remains a closed program – has so far driven over 30m installs. Meanwhile, early access games – meaning they are publicly released as an open beta – have been installed over 4m times.