For those who find it inconvenient to get a Google Checkout account when they want to buy items in the Android Market, there was an at-first innocuous update to a note about changes to the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement that has raised some eyebrows: In Section 13.1, “authorized carriers” have been added as an indemnified party, and a Section 13.2 has been added covering indemnity for payment processors for claims related to tax accrual. Apparently the new terms immediately apply to anyone joining Android Market as a new publisher and there are 30 days to sign into the Android Market developer console to accept the new terms.
Connected Planet’s take
Susana Schwartz:
It’s nice to see Google trying to make Android more appealing to the masses with carrier billing for app purchases made via the Android Market. Though T-Mobile already allows billing charges to go directly to customers’ phone bills, this announcement suggests other carriers may come on board, as well.
Direct carrier billing for applications would allow customers on supported networks to buy apps from the market and have them charged to their phone bills — far more convenient for some who may be turned off by the need to get a Google Checkout account (analogous to what iTunes requires in terms of an Apple ID). Google Checkout pays software developers directly, but users have clearly voiced they want the choice to pay through their mobile accounts with wireless providers or with their own credit cards.
Having the charge show up on a monthly bill that can also be accessed and viewed online would be a nice touch for many — especially a wider market of people outside of just the T-Mobile brand if Google is now opening to work with others, too. That, of course, might not be the best announcement for T-Mobile, which will have more competition if other network operators join in.
That’s our take on this. Let us know what you think in the comments section below: