Android In-App Billing to launch this week

Google first confirmed plans for In-App Billing in the Android Market back in January of this year, but last week it was confirmed on the Android Developers blog that release was imminent.

The new feature will enable Android users to pay for game add-ons and virtual goods, or upgrade music and magazine subscriptions, without having to go via a third party because transactions can now be carried out within the realm of Google using credit card details stored in a Google Checkout account.

"The In-App Billing service manages billing transactions between apps and users, providing a consistent purchasing experience with familiar forms of payment across all apps," said Eric Chu, developer on the Android ecosystem.

"At the same time, it gives you full control over how your digital goods are purchased and tracked. You can let Android Market manage and track the purchases for you or you can integrate with your own back-end service to verify and track purchases in the way that's best for your app."

In-App Billing has been available via Apple's App Store since October 2009 and via BlackBerry's App World since September 2010.

Tags: Android, app developer, In-App Billing, mobile app