Google could be considering adding app and game trials to the Google Play Store
Despite numbers showing the Android OS dominating the smartphone market share, some were surprised to find that iOS users still fork over the most money for their apps (a staggering $5.1 million a day compared to Google’s $1.1 million according to recent reports). To help get wary consumers pulling the trigger on those $.99 cent apps, Google is reportedly mulling over the idea of implementing a try-before-you-buy trial period for games and apps in the Play Store.
Details are scarce, but it’s said to work in a similar fashion to the way you only have to download a portion of an app or game when updating (as opposed to the entire thing). This trial portion would allow for users to download only a specific portion of the app to see how it functions and if they like, download the rest of the app at full price. Like Costco but without fighting with kids over the last chicken nugget sample.
It’s pretty easy to see how this would not only save time, but decrease data costs when looking for something new to download outside of a WiFi connection (you know how much data costs these days). This would prove especially useful in emerging markets where data is further constricted. Of course, this is all just rumor at the moment with nothing set in stone.
[The Information | via Engadget]