Google testing new Play Store feature to make app subscriptions more transparent

Google is planning to make some changes in the app store that will allow developers to sell subscriptions for Android apps directly from the Play Store. It is implementing a new feature that will enable you to buy a subscription to a service without having to download the app.

The required subscription details and pricing information will be revealed on the Google Play listing. Additionally, a new button will be added next to “Install”, allowing users to buy the app’s subscription before you install it on your device. According to Techcrunch, Google has rolled out the feature a to a select few developers for testing purposes.

Google vaguely announced the change in a blog post but did not offer concrete details as to how it worked. Google only describes it as a way for users “to discover and purchase items outside your app.” Select apps are already testing the service. The report says that the functionality is possible due to the recent introduction of Android Billing Library version 3.

The new library can power a subscription promo code redemption experience and allow users to start a free trial and proceed to the download or purchase the extra services upfront. Developers will be able to sell services directly from their app’s detail page. This transparent marketing option benefits both the consumer and the developer.

You can also get the exact details about the subscription on the app’s page. Another benefit of the new feature is having your subscriptions from different apps in one place. Google tells Techcrunch that it will expand this feature to include other virtual goods in the future.