Creating value after the download
In-App Purchasing is the selling of digital content, such as virtual goods and subscriptions, from within your app. Apps can be designed to offer add-ons, new levels, virtual goods or even upgrades from a free app to a paid one, all without leaving the application.
In-App Purchasing gives you benefits including
- Seamless consumer-friendly credit card and operator payment flows
- Access to Nokia's 130+ operator billing integrations to extend your reach
- Purchasing through a few simple API calls, without having to worry about payment processing
- Revenue sharing, with the same price points and earnings split as for Nokia Store content
Implementing In-App Purchasing can be as simple as using a few simple API calls, without having to worry about payment processing.
Platform support
Windows Phone: The Windows Phone Marketplace supports many business models for developers and publishers to monetize their apps and games including Pay-to-Own, Freemium (with integrated Trial conversion) and In App advertising. Both Microsoft and Nokia are actively pursuing additional monetization capabilities which will benefit both consumers and developers, including first party in-app commerce models, but In-App Purchasing is not currently available for Windows Phone 7.5.
Qt: Qt API for In-App Purchasing is currently available as a public beta. It's supported by Symbian^3 and later devices. Please find the complete list of supported devices with Expert device search: Devices: All Symbian^3 and later.
Series 40: The Nokia SDK 1.1 for Java contains an API for In-App-Purchasing. Many new Series 40 devices such as the Nokia Asha 303 are capable of supporting In-App Purchasing. Please find the complete list of supported devices with Expert device search: Devices: that have java API for in app purchase.
How does In-App Purchasing work?
An In-App purchase happens when an end user selects and pays for additional content (such as a new level in a game) or services (such as a subscription) related to your application, without leaving the application.
Using the example of Series 40, developers use the Nokia SDK for Java's In-App Purchase API to create and integrate the in-app purchase functionality.
When making an in-app purchase, users are typically taken through a flow of purchase, authenticate and confirm, using either credit card or operator billing payment methods:
- Step 1: Buy item
- Step 2: Identify yourself
- Step 3: Select payment
Get started with In-App Purchasing
Developers for Series 40 can start integrating In-App Purchasing into their applications for Nokia Asha 202, Nokia Asha 203, Nokia Asha 302 and Nokia Asha 303 today. The quick start guide, full guide and Series 40 Java Training: In-App Purchase will help you to get familiar with the API. We have also created some code examples to guide you.
Qt in-app purchasing is also publicly available. Qt developers can get the in-app purchasing API and start creating Qt apps with in-app purchasing today. The quick start guide and full guide will help you get familiar with the API and get started with in-app purchasing in your Qt apps.
