Google Outlines Plans for Android Apps Market
Google will house its Android marketplace on an open content distribution system similar in style to YouTube, and the first Android phone will include access to a beta version of Android Market, the search engine giant said Thursday.
"Developers can expect the first handsets to be enabled with a beta version of Android Market," Google's Eric Chu wrote in a blog post. "Some decisions are still being made, but at a minimum you can expect support for free (unpaid) applications."
Soon after the release, an update will provide support for the download of paid content and additional features like versioning, multiple device profile support, and analytics, Chu wrote.
Android Market will feedback and rating systems similar to YouTube, he said.
"Similar to YouTube, content can debut in the marketplace after only three simple steps: register as a merchant, upload and describe your content and publish it," according to Chu. "We also intend to provide developers with a useful dashboard and analytics to help drive their business and ultimately improve their offerings."
Google opted to name the offering a market instead of a store "because we feel that developers should have an open and unobstructed environment to make their content available," Chu wrote. "The concept is simple: leverage Google's expertise in infrastructure, search and relevance to connect users with content created by developers like you."
Earlier this week, Google announced that it will cut Bluetooth implementation and Google Talk from the upcoming Android mobile-phone OS, several days after it released version 0.9 of the mobile OS to developers.
Android made its public debut at February's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The first phones running on the system are expected later this year.