Implementing In App purchases in Android?

user_143378 0
Viewed 52110

Edit: Android now supports in-app billing!

Original question:

It looks like Android won't natively support in-app purchases for a while, and when it does there might be a huge user base with devices that don't support them.

What's the best way to implement iPhone-like (additional content or services) in-app purchases in Android using the Android Market if possible?

The solution should consider in particular:

  • For all kinds of in-app purchases: Android Market's 24-hour cancellation policy
  • For consumables/non-consumables: storage of additional content (ie: use precious application memory to avoid piracy, or use SD card to avoid bloating application memory)

Thanks!

in-app-billing in-app-purchase android
9 Answers
user_3357050

You can create a premium key application, that will have a key. How you expose that it's your deal ( or you can just check if PremiumKey activity exist ). From the main app you just check for your key and if it's exist enable premium option ) If you're talking about buying OTHER apps from yours - build your list with market url pointed to the other apps ( market:// )

user_1767610
user_263340

You say that Android Market doesn't support in-app purchases, and then ask how you can implement in-app purchases using Android Market?(!)

Anyway, if and when they do support it, I imagine it could be distributed as an update to the Android Market application itself, so most users would be able to use the functionality. I believe the Market app updates itself automatically.

Possibly the Market would accept an Intent to trigger a payment via the usual on-device mechanism and return your app (or more likely your server) a callback.

user_2349380
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