Google has pre-beta in-app payment program
Google is working on a new in-app payment program, now in pre-beta testing for developers. According to TechCrunch, the service will launch in May and it will be for Android applications.
The service is based on the Social Gold currency platform by Jambool. Jambool was acquired by Google in August. The company recently sent an e-mail to its current users saying that Social Gold will be discontinued in favor of the Google product in May.
According to the e-mail, the pre-beta allows users to accept in-app payments, but does not have the full functionality of the current platform.
The Federal Trade Commission has been looking closely at in-app payments lately, after The Washington Post reported that young children had been racking up high bills through payments made withing mobile applications.
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By
Hayley Tsukayama
| March 1, 2011; 8:30 AM ET
Categories:
FTC, Google
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