On 2/17/2011 12:39 AM, Christer Nordvik wrote:
> I have seen apps that wants you to buy the full version through
> PayPal, but I am not sure if they violate the terms or not?

It would be great to get clarification from Google on this. My reading
(IANAL) is that you can't distribute a "trial" and sell the full version
through a non-market payment processor. "Free apps" need to be "free"
forever, not time-limited.

But, at least in my inexpert reading, it seemed like they weren't
prohibiting ANY in-app payments, including potentially payments for
additional features, i.e., a premium version.

On re-reading, though, it seems that enabling "Premium" features in an
app that was downloaded from the market, but those features started out
disabled, is at least against the spirit of the agreement, and
potentially against the letter, because you're now charging for code
that was "distributed via the market":

"All fees received by Developers for Products distributed via the Market
must be processed by the Market's Payment Processor."

But if you're selling content (like Amazon selling books) that is
actually downloaded (from servers you control) when you buy it, then it
seems pretty clearly OK.

So if your "premium" features can be downloaded from your servers, then
it seems like it should be OK, but otherwise you should probably use the
Market Payment Processor. (Or risk being banned.) I'm thinking about
selling level packs for my game, for example, and while I'd likely WANT
to use the Google in-app payments, I want to support other possible
payment options, if only to hit a broader potential market.

That's my take, anyway, and I'd love to hear an official clarification
from someone at Google. :)

Tim

P.S. I really am not a lawyer, so take this advice at your own risk, etc.

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