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Amazon is rolling out a new feature to developers distributing apps through the Amazon Appstore for Android that was previously only available to select partners. Starting today, all developers can now use In-App Purchasing features to offer users the ability to buy more content directly through their apps.
Based off Amazon’s one-click purchasing system, the new in-app purchasing features have been in beta for several months with developers including Gameloft, Disney, ZeptoLab, and publishers such as Conde Nast and New York Post. Allowing developers to offer content such as “upgrades, expansion packs, in-game currency” and magazine issues, Amazon appstore’s Director Aaron Rubenson explained to TechCrunch that Amazon will take a 30 percent cut from transactions like Apple and Facebook does. However, Amazon can set pricing, where developers will still receive 30 percent of the list price:
“We’re just following the paradigm that’s out there with the 70-30 split… This is a little bit different from the revenue share that we have for paid app sales. We looked at each purchase case separately.”
Storm8, a developer that was part of the beta, told AllThingsD that the in-app purchasing features generated an extra $700,000 in revenue for its 10 free-to-play apps during March.
As noted by TechCrunch, Amazon doe not seem to be limiting developers to its in-app purchasing technology for non-Kindle devices. In other words, Google’s in-app purchasing tech could be used for Android devices, but Rubenson confirmed only Amazon’s solution would work for Kindle Fire.
You can learn more about the Amazon Appstore developer program here. The full press release from Amazon is below:
Amazon Appstore Announces In-App Purchasing Service for Kindle Fire and Other Android Devices
Developers can now offer digital content and subscriptions within apps and games using Amazon’s
1-Click purchasing
SEATTLE – April 10, 2012 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced an In-App Purchasing (IAP) service, making it easy for Amazon Appstore developers to offer digital content and subscriptions for purchase within apps and games that are available on millions of Kindle Fires and other Android devices.
Amazon Appstore’s In-App Purchasing service is simple for developers to integrate and helps monetize their apps and games, while offering customers a seamless and secure 1-Click purchasing experience. Top developers including ZeptoLab, Disney, Glu Mobile Inc., Storm8, Social Gaming Network, Gameloft, G5 Entertainment Inc,. and top publishers like Condé Nast, Dow Jones and New York Post have already integrated Amazon Appstore’s In-App Purchasing API and are offering millions of Amazon customers in-app content and subscriptions. To learn more, developers can watch a video about Amazon’s In-App Purchasing service at http://www.youtube.com/amazonappstoredev. To find the Quick Start Guide, sample code, tutorials and FAQs, visit the Amazon Appstore Developer Portal at http://developer.amazon.com/appstore.
“Amazon Appstore’s In-App Purchasing service enables developers to generate more revenue from their apps,” said Aaron Rubenson, Director of Amazon Appstore. “In-App Purchasing is simple to integrate and gives developers access to millions of Amazon customers who are already familiar with Amazon’s 1-Click payment system. Many of Amazon Appstore’s customers have shopped with Amazon before and they trust Amazon’s easy payment process, which leads to higher conversion of developers’ in-app content and subscriptions.”
G5 Entertainment
“We found that by offering a product with IAP, rather than other monetization types, our conversion rates went up as did our revenue on a per title basis,” said Larissa McCleary, Director of Marketing at G5 Entertainment, Inc., creator of Virtual City Playground and Mahjong Artifacts. “Although our experience on Amazon has always been great, we are thrilled now that IAP is available.”
Social Gaming Network
“Amazon’s in-app purchasing solution created a great way for us to reduce friction and drive more revenue from our games, as millions of people already have Amazon accounts,” said Michael Ritter, Senior Vice President Licensing & Distribution at Social Gaming Network, maker of Warp Rush, Dress Up Fashion, Bird’s the Word, and Night of the Living Dead Defense. “Kindle Fire already has a well-integrated store front and marketplace to distribute mobile games. By enabling in-app purchases we are able to be more flexible in pricing. We can release free games, provide updates and enhancements, and continue to monetize.”
Storm8
“With Amazon’s impressive track record and tremendous success with the Kindle, we knew the Appstore would be a hit, so we signed up right away. And when we heard that Amazon was launching the SDK with in-app purchasing, it was a no-brainer for us to integrate,” said Perry Tam, CEO and Co-Founder at Storm8, producer of games such as Restaurant Story, Bakery Story, Farm Story, Fashion Story. “Our experience with the Amazon Appstore has been great. We were thrilled when they decided to add in-app purchasing support to their SDK, and the Amazon team worked closely with us throughout the beta test for this feature. Our games quickly gained traction on the platform; all of the Storm8 apps hit the Appstore’s Top 10 list within a week of launching.”
New York Post
“By integrating In-App Purchasing, our goal was to offer Amazon’s frictionless purchasing experience to our customers. This includes the ability for customers to easily subscribe using 1-Click, take advantage of a 14-day free trial, and to auto-renew,” said David Rozzi, Director of Digital Projects at New York Post. “We’re excited about the results so far, and we look forward to continuing to provide content to customers on Kindle Fire and other Android devices.”
Mobile Deluxe
“Implementing the Amazon Appstore for Android In-App Purchasing solution was a piece of cake. We were able to turn it around and get it into internal testing within a few days’ time,” said Sean Thompson, Vice President of Production, Mobile Deluxe. “The documentation was top notch and the SDK contained everything we needed to test the implementation.”
Adobe
“The Amazon Appstore SDK made it easy for us to enable Digital Publishing Suite to support in application purchasing of both single issues and subscriptions of digital magazines on Kindle Fire,” said Zeke Koch, Senior Director, Product Management, Digital Publishing at Adobe. “Amazon’s well-designed API and rapid support allowed us to help our enterprise publishing customers be first on the Fire.”
To see how simple it is to integrate, developers can watch a video about Amazon’s In-App Purchasing service at www.youtube.com/amazonappstoreforandroid. Several of the In-App Purchasing beta test participants will share best practices via the Amazon Appstore Developer Blog at www.amazonappstoredev.com and on Twitter (@amznappstoredev). Learn more about Amazon Appstore Developer Services and submit apps online through the Amazon Appstore Developer Portal at http://developer.amazon.com/appstore.
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