Google might be contemplating starting a new service that would allow users to pay a subscription fee for an app bundle. Tentatively named Play Pass, the said service will serve as an alternative for paying a one-time fee for owning each of the apps separately.
The above is still in the nebulous stages though, with only references to the same in backend codes as well as the Google Opinion Rewards survey pointing to Play Pass being seriously considered by the Mountain View company. Also, it isn’t entirely a new development either, with mentions of Play Pass having been discovered back in June itself. However, there is no word yet as to when the service might finally become live though doing so still has its limitations.
Primary among those is the core issue of selecting the apps to be offered as a Play Pass package in the first place. This can be tricky for Google as it might end up ruffling a few feathers as any app that does not get selected could accuse Google of being picky in its choices. Further, not all apps in a pre-determined package might be liked by the user. A Customised package sure can be a solution to that though fixing a charge for such a package can also be a chore.
For Google, Play Pass still qualifies as the best that it can go for to make Play Store more competitive vis-a-vis the Apple App Store. While the Apple App Store makes huge profits every year, the Play Store has always been the laggard here. The reason is all too obvious – Android users have a longing for free apps and are not known to be eager to pay for owing an app or service.
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The Play Pass is intended to appeal to this class as paying a nominal recurring fee can always be more competitive than having to buy each of the app individually. That said, users have typically been inclined to subscribe to services that lets users to watch movies, TV shows or listen to songs. It remains to be seen what the user’s reaction would be when asked to subscribe to an app bundle when the service goes live, if and when it happens in the first place.
