Code within the latest Google Play Store version has unveiled a new “try before you buy” feature for games.
In an APK teardown done by Android Authority, new strings were discovered within version 49.6.19-29 that not only show that a “try before you buy” feature is coming, but that developers can set the amount of time that users get, whether it be minutes, an hour, or multiple hours, completely free of charge.
Now, the code does suggest that the upcoming feature will be limited to games on the Play Store for the time being. But it isn’t completely out of reach to suggest that a similar free-trial feature could come to paid apps, though.
Additional lines of code also point to letting users “pick up where you left off if you decide to buy,” which might be a good strategy to get people to purchase paid titles on the Play Store if they get an hour of play time to see if the couple of bucks is worth it for them.
There is also an expected note that the trial for each game may be used once per user, and a message that reads “you already used the trial” will appear if anyone attempts to use it again.
Interestingly, Android Authority notes that it will be interesting to see whether the new feature is also used for “freemium titles” with certain content locked behind paywalls, or whether the ad-free tier of certain titles is worth paying for. There are games that already have this built in, but having it directly in Google Play could make it a bit more accessible for developers.
It isn’t known what it looks like in action, and it is unclear whether it has been greenlit by Google. But I am intrigued to see if it makes it through development.
Source: Android Police
