What you need to know
- Google and Spotify announce the official rollout of User Choice Billing on Android.
- The streaming service announces the new payment gateway in select countries.
- Dating app Bumble is also set to join the program.
Over the past few months, Google and Spotify have worked together to introduce a new in-app purchasing experience to developers and end-users. Dubbed User Choice Billing (UCB), it was announced as a pilot program in March, and now it is finally arriving to users in select countries.
What it means is that Android device owners will be able to choose between two preferred payment payments for their subscriptions. One includes the traditional payment system in Spotify, which users of the music streaming service are already familiar with. The second method allows users to pay through their respective Google Play accounts. Both options will be displayed for users whenever they want to try out the premium service that Spotify offers.
In the announcement blog post, Spotify says it will expand the new system to more global markets in the coming weeks.
As mentioned earlier, UCB is launching as a pilot program intended to create an alternative payment system for in-app purchases, eventually allowing users to choose either of them, whichever they see fit. Though Spotify made the first debut, Google says the pilot program is functional and more apps are allowed to join the program.
Dating app Bumble is the recent addition to the UCB program, Google announced in a blog post. The companies expect Bumble to roll out its implementation "in the coming months.
Developers have to bear in mind that currently, only non-gaming apps are allowed to join the program. Google intends to share details about the eligibility, requirements, and interim UX guidelines for the non-gaming Android apps to enroll.
The UBC pilot was set to initially roll out in select countries, including Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the European Economic Area. However, Google is now expanding the pilot to users in the United States, Brazil, and South Africa.
