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A lot of information has laked out regarding the Google Play Store this past week. First, we heard the cards were going to be coming sometime between late August and early September. Then, an update to the Google Play Store APK was stripped to its bones, and what was found inside was a system to facilitate gift card redemption (alongside the ability to bookmark apps).
A day later, images of the physical gift cards first appeared. Fast forward to Friday, and it seems we have our first purchase. A reader of Android Police’s submitted an image of the gift card with a receipt to prove he was able to purchase one from the Target store where they work.
Apparently, the gift cards were sitting inside a bin near the cash registers. He picked one up, and the cashier — unaware of the fact that they shouldn’t be sold yet — successfully processed the gift card for use. For starters, this lets us know at least one of the several retailers who will be carrying the stores.
Secondly, we know that Google is so far along that retailers’ POS systems are setup to handle the cards, so we have to be extremely close to that aforementioned launch window. Unfortunately there’s no way to redeem the code officially, but Android Police used the same method they used to uncover the gift card redemption feature in the Google Play Store, and they were indeed able to add the $25 value to their account.
It’s all working full circle, but until Google gives the green light (this would also involve updating the Google Play Store one last time to unleash the feature to the masses) you’ll have to get lucky to find one, and then know what to do to actually redeem one. But this tells us the wait won’t be long at all, and we should all have a more convenient way to buy content from the Play Store soon enough. [via Android Police]
hopefully this will allow for purchases of Google devices, too. wouldn’t see why it wouldn’t–but ya never know.
I hope the same! And if they do, all I’m asking for from Santa this year is Play gift cards!
Receipt doesn’t show an activation fee. Do iTunes cards have them? I can’t recall.
There is no activation fee on itunes gift cards.
I love Target.
Wait, more convenient? What am I missing? Why is it more convenient to run out to Target?
Think he meant more convenient to gift to others.
No, he said “a more convenient way to buy content”.
Yes, “buy” through the Play Store
Exactly what I was wondering!
He stated it in his previous post, it’s more convenient to manage your bank account or credit card transactions. Instead of having multiple transactions show up on your bank account for every single app you purchase, you’d have only one show up, the Google Play card purchase. It will also be convenient for parents to buy their kids apps without having to use a bank card, if they even have one to purchase apps with in the first place.
Can’t wait for these, not because I’d want the cards myself, but because these cards would bring in more app revenue. More app revenue means more developers, more developers means more apps, more apps means a better android experience, better android experience means more users, more users means more money, more money means Google expansion, Google expansion means a better world, a better world means no more Apple, no more Apple means we can live in peace.
No need to balance your checkbook every time you buy a $0.99 app.
Why do we have to type codes it would be lot easyer to read a QRcode
That would be cool. We haven’t seen the back of these yet.
What about a NFC tag… this would be really nice, limited for now, but very nice!
Thank god they named the store in which I can buy them. I hope they sell them at Walmart :D
Nice, discount on gift cards
That’s what I was thinking. LOL
$25 gift card for $21.37?
I’m down with this being the new standard for gift cards…if only we could convince Visa to put out their discounted gift cards now…
It’s because he is a target employee, which gets him 10% off, and he has a target card, which gets him another 5%…
Typically a discount will never be applied for any gift card. Go use a 50% off coupon at Hollister for a $100 gift card. It will not be $50.
I used to be employed at Albertsons and we were not allowed to use our discount cards on any gift card because the companies won’t allow it.
That 10% off for being an employee would suddenly count everywhere, not just your place of work if it were allowed on gift cards…
I don’t know about the employee discount, but you do get the 5% discount on gift cards with a Target Red Card.
I work for target and yes we do get 10% off all gift cards nut not prepaid visa
We also get the additional. 5% redcard savinga for the red card debit card! It saves me money on hulu and now google play! Heck yeah!
Card number on receipt. Target Team Member = FIRED! (If Target decides to search the transaction and which team member bought it.)
Theyre available at my target too they arrived yesterday
But what store is this at? I could buy one right now