seeks ay Store revenue boost with app trials, says report

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 8 Oct 2014

If has its way, you’ll be able to play around with that latest game without needing to fully download it.

That’s one possible initiative is considering to boost revenue from its ay Store, according to a report in The Information.

The story cites a source “close to the discussions,” who says the feature is designed to lure in more app buyers. The theory is that Android owners may be more willing to check out an app if they don’t have to wait for it to download or use up as much precious data on their plans. More exploration could lead to increased downloads, ultimately greater revenue for its partners.

The story behind the story: ile ’s ay Store has continued to close the gap with Apple’s App Store, still isn’t satisfied. According to the report, only 10 percent of ay visitors paid for any content in the last year. 

did pay out $5 billion to app developers between May 2013 ne of this year. The problem is that’s half of what Apple paid out in the same time period, even though Android had 50 percent more app downloads through its ay Store. 

Another problem is app quality. Many developers put their first often best versions out on iOS, believing they are more likely to make money suffer less headaches from Android’s fragmentation.

The China question

Another major roadblock for is the ay Store is difficult to find in China, which has become the number one market for Android phones. has been talking with Chinese officials about getting wider access, but hasn’t finalized a deal. One likely issue is finding agreement on content restrictions with China, which is quick to pull the censorship switch.

The international front is looking better in India other developing nations where has partnered with hset makers for its Android One phones. They cost around $100 run stock Android, with updates directly from content offerings from ay. However, will have to see how much money Android One owners may be willing to spend on apps other content.