While Google may be continuing to shine on the Android downloading front, it appears that, according to a new report, the company is concerned when it comes to overall sales.
The Information reported that even though it has a large grasp on the market with Android platforms (around 80 percent), general app revenue has fallen behind sales from those featured on Apple’s App Store. As a result, Google is preparing to try and swing more profits its way, including the introduction of a “try before you buy” program for certain apps.
With the “micro app” program, as it’s being called at the moment, users can actually download part of a title and try it out before making a full purchase – sort of like a rental or demonstration. This could make the burden of downloading large games easier, so consumers won’t think that they’re wasting their time with a purchase.
In addition, partners who have made a profit with manufacturing devices that work with Google Play will see some form of cutback, going down from 25 percent to 15 percent. One partner even got ousted from the program because, according to the report, “Google wasn’t generating enough money from Google Play.”
Google’s new demo program is a variation of the one it introduced earlier in the year, where users could have a limited amount of time with an app before requiring a purchase. This way, they won’t need to download the whole thing, and can still sample whatever the application is all about.
As far as why more iOS users purchase more apps than Android ones, it’s mainly due to the larger development cycle for Apple’s devices, even with the higher price that its goods sell for. In addition, not all Android devices come pre-installed with Google Play, leading consumers to seek out other alternatives.
However, all isn’t lost. A former Google employee speaking with The Information believes that, if all goes according to plan, the company’s app store will be neck-and-neck with Apple’s in just a few years time. Guess we’ll just have to see.
