Google has introduced PayPal support for Google Play in 12 countries including the US, Germany, and Canada.
The option to pay with a PayPal account will be presented alongside credit cards, operator billing, and Google Wallet.
It might come as a surprise that Google would so readily support a competing payments platform, which will give it a smaller share of the revenues from app purchases – and it makes for an especially interesting contrast with Amazons decision to remove Google Play payments from the Android app of recently-acquired Comixology in favour of PayPal.
“Our goal is to provide users with a frictionless payment experience, and this new integration is another example of how we work with partners from across the payments industry to deliver this to the user,” said Google Play product manager Ibrahim Elbouchikhi. 
The move makes more sense in this light, especially considered alongside the other launches being announced simultaneously. Operator billing is being made available on Google Play in seven additional markets, bringing the total to 24, while the number of markets where Google Play gift cards are available has grown to 13.
Sales of Google Play apps have increased more than 300 per cent over the past year, according to Google, with two-thirds of purchases taking place outside of the US.
