Hasta La Gadget!

Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we’re witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company’s new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can’t modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can’t install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won’t necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Google

Comments

Via: The Next Web

Source: Google Play Support

Last year IMDb updated its mobile application to bring folks HD-quality movie trailers to aid in their cinematic decision making. Today, iOS and Android users living in the US can act on those decisions with the addition of in-app movie ticket purchases. Purchases themselves are processed through Fandango, but doing so merely requires navigating to a preferred movie in IMDb, then choosing your preferred theater and time. The updates are available now, so head on down to the source for the new digital goodies — Monday movie night awaits!

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Comments

Via: The Next Web

Source: Google Play, App Store

Suffice it to say that unmonitored in-app purchases by kids have proved problematic — most of all for the parents who first learn about them through a gigantic bill. The UK’s Office of Fair Trading is concerned enough that it’s launching an investigation into whether mobile- and web-based games for the junior set are running afoul of consumer protection laws. Its six-month study will explore whether or not those games are “misleading or aggressive” when they goad kids into parting with real cash for virtual goods; the regulator also hopes to hear from game developers, app store operators and the parents themselves. OFT senior director Cavendish Elithorn tells the BBC that the investigation won’t likely ban in-app purchasing when all is said and done, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the outcome involves more than just a few app store disclaimers.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet

Comments

Via: Electronista

Source: Office of Fair Trading, BBC

We’re not sure how many Brits use Spotify to actually buy individual tracks, considering that the service is mainly known for streaming and “offline” playback, but the question has suddenly become academic. Anyone in the UK who tries to use the desktop app to buy new music will now be confronted with the message above. It offers little explanation of what’s going on but does at least link to a help page that reassures those who already possess unused download credits or gift cards. Spotify sent us the following statement, which is pretty abstract but makes it clear this is more than temporary:

We recently updated Spotify to further simplify the service and pave the way for new features announced at the end of last year. In-app purchases aren’t part of this update but we’re not ruling out their return. Credits/gift cards already purchased are still redeemable.

Update: We hear from a reader in Sweden that the same thing has happened in that country — so it probably applies internationally, wherever the download option was originally available. Spotify in the US was already streaming-only, so American users will likely notice no change.

Filed under: Internet

Comments

Source: Pocket-lint

In-app subscriptions found their way to Google Play this May, and now the folks in Mountain View are letting Android developers offer them with free trials. In order to make use of the freebie spans, you’ll have to fork over your payment information to Page and Co. as if it were a run-of-the-mill purchase, but you won’t get hit with the monthly fee until the dev-determined trial stretch is over. Developers looking to serve up samples of their episodic content can set a trial period that’s at least seven days or longer right within the Developer Console, which means they can add the gratis option or alter its length without having to modify their apps. If the duration of the gratis subscription is changed, the tweak will only apply to new subscribers.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google

Google Play in-app subscriptions get free trial option originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web  |  Android Developers  | Email this | Comments